


The Bodyguard

by bac1007



Category: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Multi, Nessian - Freeform, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-02
Updated: 2019-10-02
Packaged: 2020-01-01 04:12:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 10
Words: 47,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18328385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bac1007/pseuds/bac1007
Summary: Nesta Archeron is a high powered Lawyer in Prythian. She's cold, mean, and distant at all times. But when Feyre comes to her telling her that Hybern is having all 3 sisters followed because of her investigation with Rhysand she's told she needs to have a bodyguard.Cassian, who owns a private security company offers himself as bodyguard when Rhysand asks him for someone for Nesta. Jumping at the chance to get closer to the woman who he's only seen from a far offers himself.Follow as Nesta deals with having to confront her past that she thought she was over and Cassian try to match his wit with his brawn.(Sorry terrible at these summary things)





	1. Chapter 1

_ “I said we’re fucking done!” She screamed. Then she felt an arm grab her and throw her into the wall. _

 

Nesta jerked awake, breathing heavy and sweating. She took a few deep breaths to calm her racing heart. Opening her eyes she saw that it as just past dawn, with a tiny bit of sunlight beginning to show through the clouds. Looking at the clock next to her bed she couldn't help but feel a tiny bit of pride that she was able to get more than 3 hours of sleep tonight, that the nightmares hit her later than they usually do. Knowing that there was no way and no point  of going back to sleep Nesta go up to stretch her limbs in bed a little bit She liked this, waking up early, not having to interact with anyone, no one to bother her leaving her to the solitude she's come to appreciate. Getting up she went and put on her clothes for her early morning run. Running. It wasn’t something she would have ever thought she’d do, she detested physical activity, but that was before. Her therapist said that running might help her find a way to release her rage and guilt. That plus making a routine would help as well. She didn’t know how much it helped but she did notice she was being less cruel to her sisters. She found that she enjoyed to solitude that running early in the morning brought, almost like she found a level a peace that she could only find in running.

 

Nesta ran, but was always watching her surroundings. After what had happened with Tomas…. She just watched everywhere she went. She observed out of self preservation, and she was thankful that what she felt was a necessity for her safety helped her in her career in the long run. That was how she noticed, out of the corner of her eye, that there was someone who was following her. Close enough to keep an eye on, but far away enough where someone who didn’t pay attention to every minuscule detail in their surroundings would miss. So instead of stopping ear the lake like she always did to stretch, she pushed herself to go a little harder and get home faster. 

She made it home in record time, letting her anxiety of potentially being followed take hold and push her faster. She practically fell into the apartment she shared with her sisters, that she paid for so that they had a nice roof over their head.

She showered in her in-suite bathroom, and got ready for the day. She slipped on a simple navy blue dress that was fitted to accentuate her narrow waist, and generous curves. She gave herself a braid crown, nodding at her reflection before slipping on heels and getting to work.

 

* * *

 

 

Nesta was reading over the files her lower level associates had given her trying to make a good, pliable defense for her client. Being just 26 she was the youngest person to be named Junior Partner at her firm, practically steamrolling over the other older lawyers for the position. She had guns pointing at her back, people waiting for her to mess up so they could steal her position. 

She was pouring over notes when her phone rang, “What?!” she didn’t care who was on the phone, just that they interrupted her train of thought. “Your sisters are here, they said that they need to speak with you.” The front desk girls meek voice rang through the line.

“Send them up.” Nesta was not one to be nervous, but this set her on edge. Something happened and there was no way it was good. Her sisters never showed interest in her work, never came to stop by, they barely even spoke on a regular day with them all in the house. Was it their father? Is Tamlin trying to get back into Feyre’s life again? Did Graysen do something and now Nesta was going to have to commit murder?

 

She went to the elevator to wait for them. But as soon as it opened she saw that Ferye and Elain were not alone. No, Feyre brought her….she wasn’t exactly sure what Rhysand Starr was to her youngest sister, other than utterly in love with her, and it made her more frustrated. He probably wanted some kind of favor from her, even though he's shown her nothing but distaste since they met. Narrowing her eyes at them, she knew she needed to get into the office before she exploded on them. Then she also observed that there were two other men getting off the elevator with her sisters, looking like they also were part of the group.  _What is going on?_ The thought fluttered through her mind. 

 

She looked over the two men, seeing that both equally beautiful in their individual ways, but for someone reason her eyes were drawn to the larger of the two. He was rugged looking, hair pulled back into a bun, full lips that had a little scar on the top lip, scruff that told her hasn’t saved in at least a day, with deep hazel eyes with a body of solid muscle. And he was the tallest of the 3, meaning he towered over her by at least a head, so she'd have to look up to him to speak. 

Turning her attention to her sisters, she had them follow her to her office, closing the door behind them.

“What is this about?” Getting straight to the point. Nesta hated unnecessary conversations.

Rhysand looked at Feyre, receiving a small nod from her before speaking “There has been some...issues that have come up recently. As you might know we have been working on trying to take down Hybern.” Nesta stiffened at the mention of Hybern more specifically who  _ works _ for him, Tomas. So **_no_** , she did not know her sister was about to be entrenched in one of the worst white collar criminals in the country.   

Nesta crossed her arms, not speaking but mentally urging him to get to the point. “As a result, there have been threats made against Feyre, Elain and you.” Hearing this made her stiffen her spine. This idiot was putting her sisters in  _danger._  

“What kind of threats have been made against my sisters?” Threats she could handle. She has gotten more than a few threats throughout her short career. It never hindered or scared her away. But her sisters, for her gentle Elaine, and for Feyre who she never took care of until it was too late- well that was a different story. 

“Nothing verbal, yet. But they sent pictures to let us know they’re following you, even though the pictures look like they've been taken from a distance, and that is enough.” He handed her pictures of her going to and from work, walking on a Saturday to get coffee. That wasn't as large a threat as she was expecting. Nesta watched as Rhysand stood a little taller as he spoke. Like he was about to say something he knew she wouldn't like but would also not back down.

Clenching her fists, “So what are you planning on doing to protect my sisters?” Because she she would deal with what happened as long as her sisters were safe. She kept her face formed into her usual icy scowl to cover up the inner turmoil she was feeling. Knowing that Hybern...and potentially Tomas might try and force their way into her life, her sisters lived made her blood boil, it made her see red. 

“You each will have a bodyguard, they will stay with you. Go wherever you go. Protection detail if you will. Set up new security systems in your condo. The works really.” Then Feyre stepped up to look at her with worry in her eyes, she knew Nesta hated when people invaded her space, hence why they never brought their friends over.

 

“There is one thing though. We each will uhm..move in with our detail so they’re with us 24/7.” An icy chill went down her back at the thought. The last time she almost lived in close quarters with a man ended….like a nightmare. She glared at Feyre, who gave her the same unwavering glare back.

“What are you saying exactly? Elaborate on the details.” She knew she shouldn’t be angry and Feyre, it wasn’t entirely her fault for what was going on, but she also couldn’t help but feel anger at the thought she also brought this on. They were just starting to live somewhat peacefully. 

“ They will be moving in with us. Or us with them. I will be staying with Rhys” Nesta raised her eyebrow at the man who tried not to look to excited about that particular bit of the situation, “Az will be taking care of Elain and Cassian will be with you.” Nesta looked at the two men who had yet to utter a single word. Nesta watched as Elain absentmindedly gravitated toward the shorter one, which meant Cassian was the one she had noticed. And he would be staying with her for cauldron knew how long.  _Fucking Great._

“I do not think that they can both fit in the condo, but we will try.” She sized the man, Cassian, up. Ignoring the shrill that went up her spine that she didn't understand as he held her gaze intently. Challenging her.

Then Elain finally spoke “Oh no Nesta. I will be staying over at Az’s house. It’s closer to school anyways. I've already brought my stuff to his apartment and re-made Feyre’s room for Cassian to stay in.” Nesta whipped her head back to her sister, wondering what Graysen would say about this, but then she noticed how her sister’s eyes had a sadness to them.

Nesta moved to reach for her sisters hand “I assume you told him, and he wasn’t happy?” The silver that lined her eyes told her all she needed to know. Speaking softly to the soft sister who caouldn't hurt a fly “Tell me what you need. I can kill him, maim him, take a part his body. I can make him poor in a matter of days, living on the street.  Whichever option would make you happiest.” She watched as a small watery smile graced Elain’s lips.

“It's ok. I will be ok. After I told him about Az he uhm, broke it off with me, called me a few names.” Nesta felt an utter silent rage at that. “He said he was happier it ended this way because he’s father was pressuring him to end it and take up with someone else.” She saw the man,  _Azriel_ 's jaw feather, like he too wanted to kill this man child. At least she knew she'd get some help.

“That bigoted pig. I’ll find a way that will make him hurt, it promise. He deserves it” Because whether it was physical, financial, or emotional he was going to be sorry the day he ever crossed her sweet sister. She silently promised herself and Elain that. Elain just nodded in response, looking at her ‘bodyguard’. The level of affection in his eyes made her almost do a double take.  _What am I missing here?_

 

* * *

 

 

Cassian watched the entire interaction silently. He knew Rhys was suspicious when he quickly volunteered himself to be Nesta’s protection detail. And  _ yes  _ maybe he jumped out of his seat when the opportunity arose. And  _yes,_ maybe it might have gave him a bit of satisfaction when he caught her checking him out when he got off the elevator.

He had watched her from afar a few times, but not many. Never approaching her, not because he was scared or nervous, but because he saw Nesta cut men down who approached her at all times. He was there in the courtroom with a few clients and he watched Nesta treated the courtroom like a battle and she was the top strategist, always knowing when to go in for the kill and win. He saw her cunning mind a mile away and it intrigued him, more so than I think he was willing to admit. Aloud or to himself.

 

He saw the viciousness that sprung out of her upon hearing the threat, making sure that her sisters were taken care of before herself.  _ That’s unexpected,  _ he thought she was much more selfish from the stories Feyre told her of her childhood. Maybe there was more than Feyre didn’t know. More than she didn't share with him.

But then he saw a softness he never expected when she address Elain.  _ Yeah I wondered who would have killed that idiot, Az or her. _ He laughed internally  _ I’d put money on her _ . But then all too quickly her cold glare was on him again. She raised an eyebrow beckoning him to say something.

“Hello, sweetheart.” Smirking at her. He should have known that she would be glaring daggers at him. That the grin that work on women, young or old. would not work here with her.

“Do not call me that.” Narrowing her eyes at him, daring him to do it again.  _Let's play._

 

“Why so tense sweetheart? This can be a lot of fun.” He pulled out his smirk to a full on grin, when he watched as Nesta did not even spare him a glance. It was a dismiss if he’d ever have one, and fuck did it bother him. He's never been so blatantly turned down without words before.

Feyre sent him an apologetic glare, and Cassian shrugged a tiny bit. She had no idea that Cassian had been looking forward to meeting her sister for a while now. Whether it was to get a peek into that cunning mind or rip her to shreds for her treatment of Feyre in her younger years, he wasn’t sure. He just knew that he felt this pull towards her despite never speaking to her.

“Well, since you brought us into this Feyre you should know, someone followed me on my run this morning.” She said it so nonchalantly, with a hint of bite, like she was talking about the weather. Cassian went on high alert, shoulders tensing.  _Too son, too soon._

He looked to his brothers, who then looked to their respective Archeron sisters, worried. Had they been followed like this, beyond someone with a fancy camera taking pictures at where they work and Nesta was just the first to take notice?

“Feyre, Elain, can you please excuse us. There is some sensitive information I have to give about a past case and…. I unfortunately cannot have you be in the room.” Nesta gave her sisters a hard glare to get her point across, to not argue with her. The two looked around, and left. Which made Cassian more tense he was a barely a few seconds ago.   
  


“What do I need to know exactly? I am sure you know I have gone up against Hybern’s business in a number of different suit, winning them all. I have costs him a lot of money.”

“About 4.23 million actually.” Cassian didn’t mean to blurt it out, but he never thought before he spoke, why start now? He looked over at Rhys who raised an eyebrow to him and Az who looked a bit amused. He shrugged, like they didn't expect him to come up with a file and memorize everything in it about her. 

Nesta moved her icy glare to him for a moment, like she was finally sizing him up, but he felt more like prey than predator in that moment. Faster than he liked Nesta turned her attention back to Rhys. “Are you sure that this has nothing to do with me pissing him off, and whatever you’re doing? Why would you think to get Feyre into this mess? She just got out of one with that springtime beast.” Nesta moved toward Rhys as she spoke, which in turn made Az and Cassian move closer to Rhys. Nesta was a viper and Cassian didn’t know how she bit….yet. 

“Let me be very clear. If they come after my sisters because of  _ your  _ inability to protect them, I will come for you and everything you hold dear. I don’t trust you. But it looks like you’ve given me no choice. If you need my help on anything I suppose you can send correspondents through the brute.” Jutting her chin towards him making him all the more irritated that shouldn't address him by his name.

“And what about you?” Again he spoke without thinking, but he had to know. After all the stories he had heard from Feyre, the woman in front of him was not what he was exactly expecting. Yes she was as cold as ice, but saw a fire deep in her.  _ Probably ice fire _ , he chuckled to himself at the Game of Thrones reference.  

“Something funny?” Those storm grey eyes were upon him once more. Analyzing him like prey again, and fuck did he hate the feeling. Looking for a chink in his armor. He could see the thoughts swirling through her mind and he needed to have the last say in this, or all hope was lost.

“Just a nice chuckle at how selfish you are. Trying to pretend like you care _ now _ when they needed you then. “ His eyes blazed into hers. He watched with satisfaction as her eyes widened almost imperceptibly, for anyone who hasn’t watched her like Cassian has.  _ I can bite too, sweetheart, just like you. _ And then he can a smug smirk, just knowing that it would get under her skin. 

“If I was you I’d be careful about speaking on things you know nothing about.” Then she turned and walked back behind her desk to signal that the conversation was done. It made his blood boil how she wouldn’t even deign to say a goodbye. It was just a shift of attention. It was on him and then it was like he practically didn’t exist. 

He let Rhys and Az leave first before turning on his heels and marching back to Nesta. He rounded the desk, pulling out the chair she was in and twisting it to face him. He placed a hand on each arm rest, leaning over her slightly.

“Listen Ice Princess. You do not have to like what’s happening right now but you do need to except it. I’m going to be going with you everywhere. Staying with you in your apartment, going out when you do. We will be attached at the hip, so get used to it.” He paused to give her a fiery glare to match the cold one she was sending him. “I am going to keep you safe, because it would break Feyre if anything happened to you. So we can do this the easy way, where you don’t fight me every step, or the hard way- where I throw you over my shoulder and carry you around to make sure you’re safe. Take. Your. Pick.” He ground out the last words with a clenched jaw. He knew she was angry,probably figuring out the best way to kill him He liked that idea for some reason, knowing that he was able to get under her skin like she did with him.

“If you want this to work you will stay out of my way. Stay in the shadows. I never needed a man to follow and take care of me. I will not start now. If you can’t handle it than leave me be. I can handle someone chasing me down, following me, or threatening me. It won’t be the first and it certainly will not be the last. So either get with what I need or leave and you can explain to Feyre why I need a new ‘bodyguard’’. She was standing now, practically breathing fire out of her nose. And even though she was almost a solid foot shorter than her, the attitude she held onto was that of a giants. They were standing almost chest to chest and it was taking every fiber in Cassian to keep his eyes pouring into Nesta’s and not down her body to oogle her like his body was dying to do.

“Oh sweetheart this is going to be fun.” He backed away chuckling, moving to the door.

“Come back at 6. I might be finished with work by than.” 

Cassian responded with a chuckle, opening the door grabbing his duffle bag and moved to the couch to sit.

“What are you doing?” 

“I already have my stuff over to your condo. So I will just handle some of my work over here while you do yours over there. And when you want to go home, we will go home.” 

He watched as Nesta glared at him, but realizing that he was not going anywhere. She turned to do her work and Cassian took to his work.

His phone buzzed, lookng down he saw it was Az

 

< **How long do you think that it’ll take Rhys to get Feyre to fall in love with him now?** > 

<< I say 2 weeks before he beds her. 3 before she accepts that she’s been in love with him for the past 2 months.>> He texted back.

< **He’s never had to try this hard. It’s almost sad to watch him be like a wounded puppy to get her to pay him any mind.** >

Cassian couldn’t help but chuckle. Of course it was then that he received a text from Kolette the leggy blonde that he sometimes stumbled into bed with, although it has been a few months since he’s seen her. A picture of her in a tiny bit of lace to cover her ample breasts. With a caption “bed is cold, want to come warm it up/ ;)”

Of course it was then that Nesta moved and wretched the phone from his hands. Looking at the picture she made a look of utter disgust and threw it back to him.

“You are an absolute pig.” 

“Woah there Nes,” He was going to explain that it was just something that the girl did, always unwarranted as he didn't need a picture to remember her. “Calm down. It's just a nice picture. No biggie.”

“What and who you spend time with is none of my business. However i feel sorry for the women who feel like they need to send messages like that in order to gain or keep your attention.”  He could taste the disgust she felt from here, although he sensed it was geared toward him than the girl on the phone.

“How does your girlfriend feel about you possibly spending every waking moment with another woman? You should tell her she needn’t worry about anything like that here.”  _Did she think that Kolette is my girlfriend?_  

The thought of Cassian having a girlfriend made him laugh, loudly, doubling over. “And here I thought you weren’t going to be entertaining.” He managed to choke out the words through his fits of laughs. “I do not have a girlfriend. I have women I enjoy spending my time with. But nothing serious. They know it, I make it clear so that I do not intentionally or otherwise hurt them.”

“Men are not honest. You all lie to some varying degree to keep the women you like closer than others, fooling them into thinking that you’ll commit soon, just not right now. So that you don’t have to face any blow back or drama when you find another pretty leggy blonde to chase after.” Nesta spoke, looking through files like she had practice saying the words that it was practically second nature. Like thoughts were just flowing out of her head without her having to think twice. 

“No sweetheart, not every man is like that.” Cassian received a scoff and then silence. He had to admit, she sounded like a woman scorned, just a tiny bit. 

They worked in what Cassian thought might be companionable silence, with interns and associates fluttering in and out of the office. Before he knew it the time was 7 pm and Nesta was standing getting ready to leave. 

Silently Nesta grabbed her bag, stuffing files into it and walked out the door, Cassian following behind.

  
  



	2. Chapter 2

Nesta’s body woke her before her mind was ready. She’d stayed up late going over her next big case and what needed to be filed and put towards the judge. But really, that work took her less than an hour. What kept her up all night was her pro-Bono cases she was working on at the women's shelter. It was the most frustrating thing she had ever worked on, not because the women were difficult,no no not at all. It was because of the law, and how she now felt a companionship to them, and a fierce need to protect them, which often meant getting a divorce and figuring out how to stand on their own two feet. It was a feeling Nesta knew intimately. It hit too close to the center of her chest. And because of that it was something she refused to fail on, taking on as many cases as she could. 

 

And right now she just wanted to sleep. It was Thursday, which mean she had 48 more hours before she had to meet with any of the woman at the clinic. She needed to have something for them. Getting changed for her usual morning run, she decided to put some interns on the cases to help her file it...give them something to do besides getting coffees for people. She grabbed her headphones, put her keys in the hideaway spot in her leggings and left.

 

She was 10 minutes into her run when she saw the same man from yesterday running behind her, albeit just a little bit closer than before. She moved pressed on, keeping one eye on the man, changed her route a little bit to hit the trials behind the pond, intent on losing him. When Nesta hit the fork in the trials, she sprinted to the right side, as it would bring her back to the pond. Listening, trying to keep her breathe even so she could hear if anyone was following her when she realized she had effectively gotten rid of him...and she had to admit she was a tiny bit proud of herself. She didn't need anyone to be her bodyguard, an over glorified babysitter if you asked her. Slowing down a little bit, she followed the trail down as it lead her back to the pond, where she saw a shirtless Cassian, who also looked he was just stopping for a moment to enjoy the view but the way he was standing told her a different story.

 

As she got closer it was clear that he was angry, beyond angry even. If she wasn’t Nesta she’s most likely be scared of whatever conversation Cassian planned on having with her.

 

“Let’s go.” Cassian ground out the words at her, jaw feathering.

 

They ran silently back. Nesta was going through the slew of different arguments and comebacks that he might throw at her. That she was weak,  _ no never again. _ That she needed someone to watch out for her,  _ I’m not a child. _ That the big bad man could see her as easy pickings, _ no one who has ever come in contact with me would say I’m easy anything. _

 

They made it all the way to the condo, both never uttering a word. Nesta could feel the hot anger rolling off Cassian in waves, and it only made her more irate because  _ she was capable of taking care of her gods damned self. She did not need anyone to take care of her. Ever again. _

 

* * *

 

 

Cassian’s head was swimming. Where did he even begin with the woman. He went to the kitchen, opening and slamming cabinets looking for a glass to get water. He wasn’t looking for a fight. But he panicked when he saw her door open and she wasn’t there. Then he took off for the park that she had mentioned yesterday. He was behind the person who was following Nesta. He put his airpods in and phoned Az to make sure he had a visual via street cameras. But then Nesta had to take off into the woods, she had to make the turn where there were less people. And she had no idea that Cassian was 10 feet behind the man following him, who then realized he himself was being followed and took off in the opposite direction.

__

No, because of course this fucking woman wouldn’t realize that. 

__

Setting down his glass is sauntered over to where Nesta was glaring at him, like  _ he  _ did something wrong. 

__

“Do you know what being a bodyguard entails?” He was breathing. Trying to remain calm. The panic from earlier was gone, leaving pure rage in its wake. 

__

“Is this a lesson in job descriptions? Because I don’t need one of those.”  _ Did she always have to have the insufferable attitude? _

__

“It means that where you go, I go. If you want to wake up at 3:30am to go for a nice morning run, I will be there, right next to you. Matching your every step. You wanna go out on the town? Great I will be right next to you. You have a ball to go to? I have a tux. Let me know what time to leave.” He was looming in front of Nesta.

__

“What is it that you do? What is your stake in all of this?”  _ For Feyre,  _ he thought,  _ because she is like a sister to me. Because I saw what she was like when Tamlin broke her. And then I saw Rhys support her as she became strong again. Because I know if anything happened to you she might not come back. _

__

“Feyre and Rhys told me that they needed me. Feyre was scared that something would happen to you or Elain.” WHy was he even here if she was so hell bent on doing everything alone?

__

“Feyre just wanted to cover herself of guilt should anything happen. Trust me, she does not care about what happens to me.” Cassian could hear a slight bitterness to her icey tone. 

__

“Don’t do that again.”  _ Fucking fry me. This is going to be harder than I thought. _

__

Instead of responding Nesta cut him a glare and went to her room to shower. 

__

Pulling out his phone he shot off a quick text to Az, because someone was following her. Knew enough about her that they felt comfortable to follow her barely a few feet behind. And this might be much more serious than he thought. 

__

\--

__

Cassian sat on the tiny couch in Nesta’s office. He tried not to get distracted by how she commanded the people below her. The one thing that he noted was that almost all of the people around her were women. She never said thank you or praised them, she never cut them down. She just meritted out tasks, read over, spoke frankly about their mistakes and what more she needed or wanted. 

__

It was almost mesmerizing, seeing how she worked, being able to quietly observe her in her habitat. 

__

But his emails were screaming at him to be answered. A few from Az, keeping him informed of his own business and clients, because he did have a very  _ large  _ business he was supposed to be running.

__

He opened up an email from Rhys, detailing the investigation into Hybern, noting different areas he’s been trying to get into. Where he thinks this could go, a list of contacts for Cassian to reach out to for potential backing.

__

“So, you’ve worked against Hybern a number of times correct?” Cassian knew that enough about Nesta’s career to know that she had come up against Hybern, and won- she mentioned it already. And even with the brief he had his team come up with, he knew that there was more there. 

__

“Yes.” Stifling a frustrated groan, because of course she wouldn’t elaborate anything for him.

__

“Can you get me the files. I just need the basics, you, who you defended, dates, verdict, and who you went up against.” He couldn’t shake that there was something more...personal about her being so closely followed. 

__

He watched as Nesta picked up the phone. “Yes. I need my file cases against Hybern Corp. Yes just the basics. Verdict, time, place, lawyers, judges. Yes. As soon as possible. Yes, bring what you have on those files as well. I’ll take them all.” she hung up, eyes never once glancing over at him. “It will take maybe 20 minutes for them to get here. Is that all?” 

__

“Yes.” Pulling his hair out of his bun to run his hands through his hair. “We need to talk about this morning run situation.” He go up walking over to where Nesta was. “This is two days in a row that someone has followed you on your run.”

__

“Is there a point othis beyond stating the obvious?” Fuck her tone and iceness made him wanted to punch something. Instead he came around, twisting Nesta’s chair so she was facing him and had no choice to but look at him back. Placing his hands on either arm rest so she wouldn’t swivel her chair back. When she looked at him something crossed her face, but it was gone before Cassian had a chance to grasp what it was. 

__

“It seems as though it is unsafe for you to run out like that at the moment. There is a gym that we can go to, whenever time we want. It will give a safe space to run and exercise. Whatever you want really. It’s in between here and the condo.” He silently prayed that she wouldn’t see an issue, or argue. Nesta was quiet, eyes boring into his when she moved slowly. Inclining her head barely a foot from Cassian’s, and he was suddenly….nervous. Or maybe it was anxious? His eyes flicked to her lips as they parted to respond.

__

Suddenly the door flew open and 2 interns came in, one man and one woman, stopping Nesta from whatever response she was going to spew athim. Cassian, still leaning on the chair, looming over Nesta in what might be considered a compromising position to anyone looking at them, he stayed for a moment longer- knowing that the two who had just barged in were making assumptions. Giving Nesta one final, challenging look he pulled himself back up to full height. 

__

He didn’t bother to acknowledge the two people who had bursted in, just moving back to his spot in the couch when the woman who had walked in came into his peripheral view. Kolette.  _ Well, shit.  _ He forgot to respond and let her down yesterday after the text.

__

He never thought to ask more about the leggy blonde than the necessities. He watched as she dropped the stack of folders onto Nesta’s desk and sauntered over to him. He watched her walking to him, swaying her hips in the way that had gotten him into bed with her the first time. And the second. But for some reason….it did nothing for him this time. This time he had to resist the urge to roll his eyes. Her come on was more annoying and out of place, and for some reason he didn't want Nesta to see this, 

__

“Hey,” She spoke in hushed seductive tones. The ones she thought would worked...but again..he felt nothing but annoyed with her, and even the tiniest bit embarassed, that he fell into bed with her when she acted like this. 

__

“Hey yourself.” He had a stone face now, realizing he was going to have to actually talk to her to let her down rather than his previous plan, not respond at all, which was his usual go to as of late.

__

“What is the point of your presence, if you are going to be doing things other than working on what is important?” Nesta bit out the words fast, cutting a glare that made the leggy blonde in front of Cassian stutter, looking embarrassed at having been called out by Nesta but also positively annoyed as well.

 

* * *

 

 

Of course this massive hulking man had to have been sleeping with one the associates. She tried to focus on the task at hand rather than how close they had been moments before the door opened and they were interrupted. She almost gave herself a headache trying to focus on anything other than the heat that came off of him and how she felt it heat her to her bones. 

“And here is the paperwork for the clinic.” Perking Nesta’s ears up she pulled the file box towards her, scanning to see which ones were marked and which ones still needed more work. “And here are the books you wanted.” Nesta had requested that they bring her books on the Illyrian culture, so that she could better understand the women she was going to defend. She always found that with personal civil cases, when you’re able to bring in relevant but detrimental evidence it always helps. It gave her a place to strike where it hurts the most. 

“I’ll go over this, if there is anything I think is missing I’ll send word back down. Was all the proceedings filed?” She looked back and forth between the two, one looking eager and the other one was assessing her, like she the competition. 

“Is there anything you need from me to get the other work done?” It was a simple enough question. Usually people whispered ‘NO” as they ran out of her office, scared at what she might say. 

“Yes, why these women?” Kolette asked her, stepping forward, like she was challenging her.

“Because they need the most help. As a lawyer our job is to help seek justice for those who need it. These women need help to get out of this situation, but because of a culture that makes them feel like they are lesser, they barely know how to stand on their own two feet. The fact that they were brave enough to leave says that they’re worth out help. But to be able to be the independent women they want to be, the need to sever the ties that bind them and that starts with leaving their shit husbands who don’t deserve such strong willed women in their lives to begin with.” The longer she spoke, the faster the words came out. “If you bothered to make an effort and come to meet the women I am defending you would have a better understanding that they deserve their freedom, they deserve our help. They deserve protection from monsters.” Nesta felt a little flushed, sweating a bit after her grand speech. “Does that answer your question?” Nesta looked at the blonde whose lips were now in a thin line, indicating just how frustrated. Kolette glanced over to Cassian, then nodded and marched out the door, like Nesta’s response did something to offend her. 

The man, stepped forward looking at Nesta with kindness in his eyes. “That’s commendable. If you ever find that there are more cases than you can handle, need help with research, filing anything please let me be the first person that comes to mind.” Nesta narrowed her eyes. This man wouldn’t be the one to try and use this project to get in on her good side. It was widely known that Nesta had yet to choose a single associate to add to her roster. 

“Why?” The look in his eyes made her feel like there was more to his story, like there might be actual passion to help others. 

The boy looked over to Cassian who saw that he was being noticed, and then went back to his laptop, clearly trying to pretend that he wasn’t listening when he was hanging onto every word.

“My mother was in a situation similar to these women. The times where I had to help clean her up was I was little haunt me still. When I came out as gay to my parents, when I was 12 my father did not take it too well. My mother took the beating he intended to give to me, and then a day later, when he was gone from work we ran. She got help at a shelter similar to this one, and a woman like you helped her divorce my father, get an insane amount of child support for her, and she was able to get a job that supported us. It feels right.” 

The words sunk into Nesta’s skin. It went to her very core. It was a story she had heard one too many times to count, but it was a speech. One that may have just been practiced, regardless of the conviction she both heard and saw in the young man before her. “I’ll take it under advisement and let you know.” And with the dismissal the man moved to the door.

“What is your name?” 

“Troy, Troy McGovern.” And then the door closed.

Nesta liked him, liked his honesty. She considered it for a moment. She did need help, and she wanted to do more at the shelter. He was the first person who expressed interest in helping with the shelter. He didn’t offer help on any of her big named cases that everyone knew she had. He had a personal investment in the success of the cases. And she watched the sadness in his eyes as he spoke. She saw the hopefulness in his posture.

Picking up the phone she dialed her favorite I.T. “Hey Em, can you stop by the office, I have a side project for you.”

 

* * *

 

It took Emerie less than 4 minutes to get to her office. 

“Record timing.” 

“You know how I feel about side projects. Yours are always the most interesting.” Nesta scoffed at that. Her requests were always the worst, she always needed more information.

“Have you had lunch?” Nesta shook her head no. “Sushi it is. Let’s go.We can talk serious business as I engorge myself.” And then Emerie turned, finally seeing Cassian, who had an amused look on his face. She looked back at Nesta, eyeing her before turning back to Cassian, who was now standing.

“Let me run to the bathroom. Then we can leave. Meet you at the elevator.” Smirking, he grabbed his jacket and walked out the door. 

“Who is that?” Nesta looked warily, because she still did not know how to explain away Cassian’s presence.

“An apparent bodyguard.” Nesta continued as she watched her friends jaw drop. “Hybern has sent a warning shot to Feyre’s…..whatever Rhysand is to my sister. Pictures of all 3 of us. So he felt it in his kind heart to gift me a bodyguard- Cassian.”

“So that beautiful hunk of a man will be going with you everywhere? What about the upcoming trip to the Amalfi coast that the partners are sending us on?”

Nesta groaned, she completely forgot about that trip with everything that has happened in the past day. “I’m hoping this will all be over by then.”

 

* * *

 

Cassian made his way out of the bathroom when he was abruptly cut off. 

“Hey.” Kolette was in front of him, with her hand was moving up and down his bicep. 

Rolling his eyes he tried to move passed her.

“You’re not even going to say hello?” He heard the anger in her voice, making him wince.

“Look, this isn’t going to work out. You’re wonderful and all that but I meant it when I said the last was the last time.” He gave a sigh, signifying he was done with this conversation and continued to move towards the elevator when someone grabbed his arm.

Turning he saw the leggy blonde have hideous scowl,  _ how did I think that  _ **_that_ ** _ was hot. _ “Are you seriously stopping our good time for the Ice breathing bitch queen?” 

“Ice breathing bitch queens.” He repeated the words, knowing he heard her right but giving the girl a chance to take it back.

“Yes, if you want me to clarify who I mean- Nesta fucking Archeron.  Everyone around here knows she’s a frigid bitch. You can’t tell me you’d choose that. I know that bed is cold and she too stiff for you.” She moved closer to Cassian, pushing her chest out a little. “I know what you like, and there is no way she satisfies you.”

The thought of Nesta in bed, hair undone, mouth moaning his name, wiggling as he looked at her between her legs flashed into his mind. The idea latched into his mind….and he suddenly couldn’t shake the idea. 

 

Grabbing the girl on both arms to force her out of the way he gave her a nasty look. “It was once or twice. Don’t think that because I slept with you that you know anything about me or my preferences.” He watched as she clammed up, not expecting him to say that. “And for the record, fun doesn’t translate to great in bed, and you were not all that great. Maybe you could ask Nes for some tips. Especially when it comes to being appropriate at work, how to conduct yourself. “ His eyes scanned her up and down, noting the differences between her and Nesta who tended to look elegant and sexy with her entire body covered. “And dress. She might take pity on you yet.” And he marched toward the woman who had his pants suddenly very very tight.

 

* * *

 

Nesta and Emerie watched the entire exchange. Both moved a few feet closer as they saw Kolette block Cassian, exchange words, and then got in his way enough. Nesta heard the names that Kolette called her. Frankly she didn’t care. She’s been called so much worse than that in her life that the words were mere child's play. 

But when Cassian defended her, in a weird way. But he also implied that they were somehow...involved. Emerie nudged her, looking wide eyed. She shook her head to let her know that it  _ wasn’t true _ . 

When he walked past them to click the down button on the elevator, clenching his fists. The elevator dinged open to an empty space and they all walked in. The second the door closed Emerie laughed. She laughed all the way down the to bottom floor, almost doubling over. 

“Knock it off.” Nesta was annoyed. Annoyed with everything. Annoyed with Cassian for what he implied, because it was no doubt getting around the office. Annoyed the Emerie would not stop laughing at the situation. Pissed off that the sky was blue. Wanted to hit something with how perfect of a day it was.

“Sorry. But you should have seen her face! It was amazing. Truly. She looked like she was going to murder Nesta.” Nesta barrelled forward through the street to sushi restaurant they always went to. “If you didn’t have this guy to have you back I might actually be concerned.” 

Nesta didn’t even bother to hold the door for her. She went straight to getting sat down outside. 

It took the two of them 3 minutes to decide on what to get. Nesta eyed Cassian, who was sat closest to the wall that seperated the sidewalk from the tables. “Do you need help?” She didn’t say it out of kindness to help, but because she was hungry. 

“Nope,” Cassian closed the menu and then looked her up and down slowly, almost sensually “I know exactly what I want to eat sweetheart.” Nesta caught on to the double meaning right away and scowled, daring him to try her and never breaking eye contact. The fact that he didn’t waver under her hateful glare, that he instead just glared back with a smirk made her want to hit him with a large, very heavy book.

“Earth to Nesta! Stop doing that thing with your eyes that usually scares men off. It’s not working, obviously.” Cassian chuckled at that.  _ How did he piss me off when he does that. _

They ordered their food quickly, Nesta realizing how hungry she was getting and which always made her more irritable than usual.“I need you to look into the associate Troy McGovern.” 

 

“Why? And anything specific?” Emerie twiddled her fingers together. She always demanded a reason.

“He wants to help with my pro bono cases. He gave me this story about his mother. I want to make sure that what he said was true, and not some sob story he came up with to get me to add him to my team.”

“So a background check on him, and anything on his childhood.” Emerie nodded, typing out what she needed on her phone.

“Yes.” Nesta hoped she wasn’t making a poor decision. It wouldn’t be the first time that she had silently gotten her hopes up. 

“I’ll see what I can dig up. Although I ran a priliminary one when he first arrived.” Nesta watched as Emerie scrolled through her phone. “Male, 27. Single parent home, from...Illyria. No mention of father, just mother. Went through community college and law school at Velaris U. Graduated right in the middle of the class.” 

“Good. Sounds like his story is ending up to be truthful so far. But I want more details. What happened with the father. What does he google. Why only in the middle class? His notes indicate he’s much smarter than that.” 

“Fine. I can have it to you tomorrow when we meet at the clinic tomorrow.”

“Perfect.”

“Now about Friday night.” A sly grin appeared on her friend’s face. 

“Do I have to?” 

“Yes. It’s an outing. You come once a month. It is just drinks. And you always end up having fun. You know it. Plus now that you have big guy over there covering for you, you can finally let loose.” Nesta knew she was going to lose this fight. She always gave her one night a month to go out to wherever her friend choose and stayed long enough to make sure she got home safely.

“Saturday. We go to the clinic Saturday morning. By then I’ll know if I can bring that associate with me, it’ll help with the workload. We can get drinks at night .” Then she got up and went for the bathroom.

 

* * *

 

Cassian watched Nesta walk away, desperately trying to not look at her ass while she did. He tried even harder to not think about what it would feel like in his hands,  _ probably perfect. _ What the fuck was wrong with him? She would cut off his balls 

“You like her.” Cassian just stared, because the word like didn’t seem to properly describe what he felt towards Nesta. He wasn’t sure that there was even a word for it. 

“Tell me what you know about Hybern.” A change of subject was exactly what this called for. 

“I know a lot of things. He’s a sleazy, dirty, disgusting man who likes taking advantage of the weak. He hates Nesta because he loses to her every single time. There’s more to unpack there, but if you want to get to know the  _ real  _ her, look deeper.” 

And then Nesta appeared again and the conversation was cut off before Cassian got to ask anything else. He watched as Nesta ate, surprised at how little food she actually consumed. It sent alarms off in his brain, because he felt like that wasn’t normal. That she ate that little out of necessity rather than because she wasn’t hungry.

* * *

After lunch they went straight back to her office. When she had to leave for a meeting, Cassian tried to walk her there but he should have known better.

“It is in the same building. On the same floor. I do not need you to walk to me 30 feet in another direction.” And with that she stormed out, leaving a frustrated Cassian in her wake. 

With time on his hands he went for the file that had  _ HYBERN  _ on it and opened up. He read each file intently, taking notes. Highlighting names that showed up again and again. The most common name that showed up on all 25 files was a  **_Tomas Mandray_ ** . He was on every file, having to do with every case. It was peculiar too.  He never beat Nesta, yet Hybern let him stand and work on every case. Just to lose. 

He pulled out his phone to text Az: <<How’s living with the quiet one. >>

Less than 30 seconds later < **She’s sad. Moping, and baking a lot. I think I’ll be fat from all the baked goods.** >

< **Still have your balls in tact?** >

<< _ HAHA. _ Yes, they are still there. >>

<<I need you to do a background on Tomas Mandray. Give me everything you can find out about him.>>

< **Sure.** >

<<Heard from Rhys at all?>>

< **No, he’s planning on taking Feyre to Tarquin’s summer retreat this weekend.** >

<< Bets>>

< **No, he’s too scared to do anything yet, even though we can all see how they feel about each other.** >

<Let me know when you have the files. Give me everything Az. No stone unturned.>

<< **Got it.** >>

Then he heard, “Nesta, who are you bringing as your plus one to the trip?” He recognized Emerie’s voice immediately. 

**“** Do I need to bring someone?” The annoyed tone in Nesta’s voice was unmistakable.

“The company pays for two, you should consider it. But it isn’t for, what a little over two months? You have time to decide. Maybe bring that hunky man in your office, as a thank you.” Cassian sole focus now was what Nesta’s reply would be. “Do not give me that look. You could do worse than a romantic trip with a man that looks like that.” And then Nesta was walking through the door, eyeing him.

She grabbed her bag, stuffing it with more files, and walked towards the door. Sighing Cassian packed his stuff up, making sure the Hybern file was tucked away and followed her out.

_ A trip to Italy,  _ he had never been but he felt like he was suddenly interested in being her plus one, but because it was something she wanted, rather than required.  _ But how to do it, that is the real challenge. _

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave comments, likes, kudos, opinions, thoughts! This is going to be a really slow burn, but there will be pay off! There will be chapters where other characters come into play but, this is a story solely about Nessian. How do you think this lines with their characters so far?
> 
> I did the best I could to edit but I'm not the best and I don;t have anyone to beta it. So sorry for any mistakes.


	3. Chapter 3

Cassian wasn’t stupid. He knew he never got a full on YES from Nesta about the change to go to the gym. So when they got home, and he knew she was in her room, not coming out for the rest of the night. So he did a few things. Well more like  _a lot_ of things. Nesta would probably kill him in the morning.

 

First, he blocked her room. Not so she couldn’t get out nor did he lock her in. He just made it an obstacle course for her to get to the front door, including moving one of her smaller bookcases into the hallway so she would have to push it out of the way. He slide the couch from its original spot to block the front door. And then he slept on it so that she did not stand a chance leaving without his knowledge. He couldn’t afford what happened the past two mornings to happen again. 

 

So when a “FUCK” was loudly whispered, followed by a banging, something (or someone) falling into the wall, Cassian was sitting up on the couch rubbing the heels of his hands into his eyes.

 

“Trying to sneak out are we sweetheart?” His voice raspy from sleep.

 

“What did you do? It looks like a war zone out here. Why would you dare move my bookcase, are you absolutely mad or were you just on drugs last night? You are putting every single thing back to their original spot.” Nesta spoke in what would be considered nonchalant for  _ her _ , so Cassian thought that maybe she wasn’t as angry as he thought she would be. 

 

“I wasn’t trying to sneak out, I have my bag packed.” Nesta shook the tiny duffle bag in front of him. 

 

“You never responded when I told you about the gym." Cassian shrugged  "I assume, when you don’t bother to answer that you are ignoring me and going to go back and do whatever it is that you usually do,  _ sweetheart. _ ” She just  _ had _ to be difficult, even when she wasn’t trying to be. 

 

“Let’s go. They have towels there so you don’t need to worry about that.” He watched her go to the bathroom anyways, grabbing a comb and stuffing it into the bag. He stopped to look at the chaos he created in his determination to not let Nesta out for her run last night.“I’ll move everything when we get back tonight.” He moved the couch out of the way but not back to its original spot. Nesta was cooperating and he knew it was a rare moment, he knew, so he wanted to get her out before she changed her mind.

 

It took less than 8 minutes to walk to the gym. Cassian went and started turning on the lights and switching on the circuit breakers. He could feel Nesta taking everything in behind him as the areas light up piece by piece. Assessing the very large space, and it was _big_ , it was deceiving from the front. But once you walked in it was the size of a warehouse, with a 300 meter track that surrounded a fighting ring, the right side had the weights, left side was open space with the cardio machine, and then up the stairs was where the classes they had took place. Cassian loved this place, it was a place he built outside of his family’s help. Something he built outside of their help and it made him more proud than he could put into words. He loved them, he did, but he needed something to hold for himself that wasn’t intertwined with them. 

 

“It’s 4:30, the gym opens at 5:30am. Because I opened everything up, the staff will be here around 5:15.” He walked towards the locker rooms as he spoke. “Women’s locker room is there. The lockers have locks on them already.” He was nervous to look at Nesta, with her assessing eyes because he wasn't sure how he would handle it if he saw any sign of disapproval. But he went against his better instinct and turned to look at her and he felt like his heart stopped, the way she looked. He let his eyes look her up and down, taking in the way she looked, awake but still had signs of sleep shown on her face. It was a rare moment that he was able to look at Nesta, really look at her and take her in. She was beautiful, in an ethereal untouchable kind of way. High cheekbones, deep set big stormy gray-blue eyes that slant every so slightly up, plush lips, angular chin. It fit perfectly on her long slender neck, a ballerina’s neck, Cassian could literally watched her pulse if he was close enough. One he noticed picked up ever so slightly when he was close. His eyes hung on her neck for a moment longer, it enticed him in some odd primal way he didn't completely understand. The rest of her body was slender, but curvaceous with a delectable round ass and breasts that he knew in his soul would fit perfectly in each hand. Cassian knew he was staring but he didn’t care, he’d take the verbal lashing with grace if she gave him just a few moments to view her like this. 

 

Nesta did not speak at all, she just turned and walked into the locker room leaving him behind. Shaking his head, Cassian went over to warm up, and get his body ready for his workout even though his mind was somewhere else. He had some frustration to punch out and he was ready to go there.

 

* * *

 

45 minutes later right before the staff would start showing up, Cassian was sweating. He had taken off his shirt some 25 minutes ago after a little lifting. He had moved on to the fighting ring as Fenrys, apparently coming in early looking to have a round or two with him, strolled into the ring. 

 

“Got time for a few rounds?” Fenrys questioned as he strolled into the ring, wrapping his hands.

 

Cassian looked at the clock, seeing it as 5:10. Glancing over at Nesta, who was running on the track surrounding the ring. “Yeah,of course I have time to kick your ass.” And like that Cassian was dealing blow for blow at Fenrys.

 

30 minutes later they moved from hand to hand to soft ended staffs so that they wouldn’t bruise too much. The entire time he had kept one eye on Nesta running around him. When she stopped, bending over to stretch he lost his train of thought completely with his mind, soul and body focusing solely on her. Fenrys had gotten him hard on his jaw, laughing at how easily distracted he had just gotten. The gym had opened 20 minutes ago and it was still just them.

 

“Is there something distracting you?” Fenrys chuckled, looking over Cassian’s shoulder to where Nesta was stopped, bending over to stretch. “I guess I should say someone, aye.”

 

Cassian ignored the comment. The music may be playing loudly but Cassian wasn’t sure he wanted to take the chance of Nesta overhearing him at all. Ever. 

 

Still chuckling “At least I know you weren’t trying to show off for my sake.” Fenrys was circling around him, dancing on his toes to get ready for an attack. Cassian just rolled his eyes instead of responding. He wouldn’t admit how satisfying it was when he caught Nesta watching him fight. He would never admit that it may have caused him to punch just a  _ teeny tiny bit  _ harder, throwing in a fancier move here and there.  _ Yes _ , he knew all this, but he would never admit it a loud, he loathed to even acknowledge that to himself. Because he was  _ not trying to fucking impress Nesta god damned Archeron.  _

 

Then suddenly Fenrys dropped his arms, but pointed a finger behind Cassian and walked away to grab a drink. Cassian turned to see Nesta walking towards him, panting a little from her run. 

 

He swaggered a just a little bit towards her, but felt something crack in him as he watched her eyes and how they trailed his body. He heard the blood rushing from his ears to his groin. He watched her eyes as they started at the top of his head and slowly, travel down his body, taking in every bit of him. Therlevel of male satisfaction that rolled over in his stomach as he watched her watch him was so intense he was surprised with himself. It was a weird, intense feeling- one he got only  a few times and only after sex. Never with a woman who just looked at him and was still unsure to how much she actually hated him. A woman who he has yet to go past hand on her elbow to guide her.  _ Shit what the fuck is going on with me.  _ But he let her take him in, in silence, for as long as he could.

 

“See something you like, sweetheart?” He asked her as soon as she was a few feet from her, and put on the smuggest smile he could muster. 

 

* * *

 

This male. He was dangerous. Yes, he was dangerous in the way she had expected. Tall, muscular, strong, fast. A seasoned warrior, built to tear down anything and anyone in his path. 

 

But that wasn’t what made him the most dangerous man Nesta’s ever met, she had decided. No. It was his eyes. Deep Hazel eyes that pierced her. It was the way he looked at her. Like he was trying to figure her out silently. The way he was constantly watching, constantly assessing everything around him. Especially her. Every time he looked at her when he thought she wouldn’t notice. Like he was trying to figure out the best strategy to get around the fortress she had built between her and the world to protect herself. 

 

The thought of him succeeding made her scared. Made her nervous. Angry. 

 

But mostly it made her feel naked. Without that barrier there she had no way of protecting herself from feeling all that was around her. It was her self-defence against the world, a place she felt she was constantly at bat with. 

 

And she would not leave herself defenseless because of a male, particularly the one giving her an insufferably smug look.

 

“Nothing to look at.” She made sure that there was a particular bite to her words. Because she knew words could be better weapons than fists.

 

“So, you were staring because you want to learn?”  _ Fuck, how did he see that? I was running- his back was to me.  _ She smothered an angry sigh.  Dangerous man indeed. Too observant.

 

“I doubt there is anything you could teach me.” She narrowed her eyes on him slightly. "You did just get nailed in the face a few moments ago." There eyes met, and they stared. A challenge, one of wills and Nesta had an iron steel will. And she would not lose in an eye staring contest. 

 

But then Cassian’s once smug grin went almost feral. He took a step closer, invading her personal space, bending down with his face so close that they were practically sharing breathing air. “Sweetheart, we both know _that_ is a lie. Something tells me that there is a number of things that I can teach you.” The double meaning was not lost on Nesta. The taunt went straight past Nesta’s defense and settled into her stomach. 

 

She counted her breathes. One. Two. Three. If this is how he wanted to direct the conversation, he would regret it.

 

“If I wanted to be pawed by men who don't know how to use their thumbs I’d go find a dog.” Nesta waited for her words to find their mark. But when Cassian held onto the feral grin, never falling from his face, she almost faltered.  _It was a good line. Why is he looking at me like that instead of with anger?_

 

He cocked his head at her. “Have you ever  _ been  _ with a male? Not one of those pathetic college boys who don’t know how or what to do to please you. But a man, who takes pleasure in pleasuring you?” He looked at her  and she saw a glint of mischief in his eyes, there was a test somewhere in this question, she just needed to root it out. But where was the benefit of lying. 

 

“Have you?” 

 

Chuckling moving a slightly closer to her. They were almost flush against each other now. “I asked you first sweetheart.” Then he tilted his head, assessing her every movement. “Unless you prefer females.” It wasn’t insulting in the slightest. But the taunt was there, and Nesta suddenly felt overwhelmed with the closeness of them. There could have been 100 people screaming in the room and she wouldn’t have noticed there was anyone but him. 

 

And that made him dangerous. Needing something to ground her, she put a hand on him, touching a palm brazenly on his sweat slick chest. And it made her realize how cold she was, or maybe he just oozed heat off  of him. It made her head swim a little bit as she felt the warmth of him flow through her fingers. Like there was a literal fire flowing through his body and he was lending her heat she never knew she needed. 

 

She took in how small her hand looked pressing against him. It snapped her back into reality. He was a trained warrior, a trained killer in every way that mattered, and ones that didn’t. If she didn’t realize it before, watching him spar and the sheer strength of his movement told her that. 

 

But his arrogance, that was just his nature. 

 

So she did the only thing she could think of that might throw him as off balance as she felt. She took a step closer, closing the distance between them completely, making him straighten up for if he hadn’t then their mouths would have less distance than their bodies. Nesta didn’t know how she would have felt if he didn’t move as fast as he did and her mouth would have suddenly been on his. Who would hold the power than if that had happened? 

 

It wasn’t relevant because it didn’t happen, and wouldn’t happen. Ever.

 

“Who and what I prefer is none of your concern.” She said “Nor-”

 

“You still haven’t answer the first question”

 

“What does it matter to you?” 

 

A cocky grin gave her the in she needed. She saw the chink in the armor if just for a millisecond. She dragged her hand up his chest with a feather light touch, then moved even closer so her body was practically on top of his. She could literally feel his muscles stiffen at the very movement. She was so close that for every movement she made, he would feel. She ignored how right but off kilter it felt.

 

“No. I haven’t.” She crooned at him, still moving her hand in soothing, feather light strokes where she could feel his heartbeat, one that picked up as she spoke. “Men like you all are all selfish brutes and bastards who would not care to learn what it would take to bed me. Who only cares that it happens. It would be a waste. I’d rather use my hand than sully myself with theirs.”

 

The amusement in his eyes faltered. She could practically her the bow sing as it hit their target. She heard Feyre talk about it Rhysand and his brothers enough to pick up the bread crumbs. Sometimes one word was all it took to make the tides turn in her favor. So she told him the truth, but wrapped it a knife that she drove straight to the core.

 

She’d been with a man. Once. And she knew it was a mistake then. Some part, deep deep down knew that the future with Tomas was not one that she wanted. She knew about his vile father, their disgusting business tactics. But she still went through trying to make it work because he would provide for her sisters. But when she walked into his apartment to surprise her, and found him on top of another woman, beautiful and blonde and everything that in one look Nesta knew that she wasn’t; she had tried to leave. 

 

She grabbed her things, tried to pack them and run so it would be easier than facing a betrayl like that. But the girl left too fast, practically running out of the apartment, leaving her alone with him. And when she told him it was over right then and there, that she had more dignity than staying with a cheater- and he hit her hard, she fought. She clawed and scratched and screamed. And she had it all on video because she was in her second year of law school and it had taught her a few things. 

 

Something must have passed over her face. He must have saw the fear that she thought she was hiding, but not good enough for him. 

 

No- he saw it. And his face shifted….to rage. It was a look that she knew was not towards her, no it was in response to protect her. But she wasn’t sure she would want anyone to face the kind of death that was promised in his eyes.

 

It was a look that took the breathe out her lungs, scared her completely. But it also settled her. There was something in the rage on his face that settled into her bones.

 

“Who.” Tomas deserved a lot of things. But even she wasn’t sure she would subject him to what Cassian's eyes promised.

 

“Who, what?” She went to take back her hand, but he grabbed it. Pushed it against him again, weaving his fingers through hers slightly. And she could feel his heartbeat going faster, like he had just finished a 100 meter sprint. 

 

“Who?” Because he knew she would evade the question again. “Who. Hurt. You.”  She could hear the wrath in his voice as he enunciated every word. He gripped her hand a little harder.

 

“Would it change anything?” Some piece of her deep deep down inside of her needed to know. Needed to know how he would see her if he knew the truth. If there was judgement. ‘Would you think of me differently, treat me different?” Because that was her line. Pity. She wouldn’t ask nor accept that.

 

“It would make me want to shatter them. Break every bone in their body.”

 

She took a breath. And then another one to bring her back to the steel willed woman. ‘’Why? “ 

 

His jaw feathered. He gripped her hand a little tighter to him. And looked at her, pausing, letting the question sink in. And then he looked into her eyes, like he was trying to see her soul behind her eyes.

 

“I’d do it for anyone.” Nesta knew it was true. That he would do it. She could feel the conviction and the promise in his words. 

 

Maybe that’s what unnerved her, through her off balance. The utter conviction and sincerity and honesty when he spoke to her. That he made promises and kept them, that thought alone tore at her and made her want to slice at him. That he looked at her like she was the strong one, that he was okay with her being the predator and would be willing to go into the backseat for her. But he never backed down from her. 

 

When she spit venom, he threw it right back like he was immune to it.

 

She knew he knew about her past, with Feyre. And she never came up with an excuse. But she had rage, so much rage she never knew where to place it, what to do with it. The same rage coursed through her veins now, it still picked at her. But it had helped her too. Helped her when the situation was dire. That rage was what she turned to when she felt like the entire world went to hell and she needed to protect herself from feeling every single thing around her, feel it all too sharply, so keenly that it threatened to envelope her and she wasn’t sure she was strong enough to bring herself back out. Protected her from feeling the love, and hate, and dread of the next day.

 

And she knew he saw it. That he saw when she was sifting through emotions like they were clothes she was trying on. She wasn’t ready for anyone to see that, let alone him. 

 

And then a door slammed, making her jump. Bring her back into the now. She’d been staring at him, while the hand on hers was stroking the back of her hand in soothing motions. 

 

He blinked, mouth parting slightly. Like he was getting ready to say something. Nesta pulled her hand back from his, but she did so slowly. She took a step back, desperate to put some kind of distance between them. But the moment she had her hand back she felt the immediate 

 

She watched as his eyes burned into hers. And then flicked to her lips and stayed there.  _ Is he going to kiss me? _ The thought was out of her as fast as it had come in. And it shocked her still for a moment. 

 

“I have a meeting at 8:30.” She threw out the fact, turning and walking to the locker room.  _ That was the best I could come up with?  _

 

* * *

 

 

Cassian watched Nesta as she walked away. His eyes stayed on her and watched until she walked into the locker room and physically couldn’t see her anymore. 

 

Then he heard a loud whistle, making him turn his head. Fenrys was in the corner laughing at him. Rolling his eyes he caught sight of Mor strolling over to him. 

 

“Hey Mor.” Grinning at her.

 

“Hey. Here a little early aren’t we?” Chuckling at she moved next to him and started stretching.

 

“Not really. Have a lot of shit to do today.”

 

“What like being Feyre’s older sisters glorified babysitter?" Cassian could hear the disdain in Mor's voice. "Nesta doesn’t deserve Feyre’s kindness, not after what she did. You should let her fend for herself.” At that Cassian turned his head to the blonde, eyes narrowing slightly.

 

“Have you met her already?” Because if she had Mor had never mentioned it to him, which was weird. She confided a lot to him, and this would be something he thought she would bring up.

 

“Well yes, she actually is the lawyer for my company. She’s impressive in the courtroom but an absolute nightmare too deal with.” Cassian took in each word, flipping them over for the hidden meaning. From what he saw there was nothing he could denote as "nightmare". 

 

“You never mentioned that Feyre’s sister was your lawyer.” He felt like there was something else, something more she wanted to say.

 

“Just watch your back. She’s a viper all the way through. There is a reason why she’s alone. I don’t want you getting hurt because of her.” And then she walked away. Yes there was something else that Mor wasn’t telling him. It went beyond her just disliking Nesta because of Feyre. But, he didn’t really care what Mor’s opinion was in this situation.

 

Too many times had he not gone after a woman because of something she said about them. It was some snide remark, how they were gold diggers, or how she had some terrible interaction. Like she was able to pick up on something and exploit it with him. He had always heeded it because of their relationship. One-time lovers that floated into family. But he was always the protector, the barrier between her and Az that he was never really able to understand.

 

But she clearly knew nothing about Nesta. Mor was great, and he never thought he would be able to be with someone she didn’t approve of. But now, with Nesta. He couldn’t care less what Mor or the world thought. 

 

After whatever they just had before the gym opened up, the conversation, the words. It was all slowly hitting him harder and harder. That she had been hurt. That no one in her family knew about it. 

 

That there was so much more to her than anyone around her thought. It was a shame. But knowing there was more. That there was something else to her, that she was a fighter through and through. 

 

She was just a different kind of warrior.

 

* * *

 

 

Cassian worked on his usual place in Nesta’s office. He answered email, and did all the business he needed to do, while marking every move Nesta made. From the way her brows furrowed together when she didn’t like what she read, to when she had what was probably considered a smile when she knew she was about to get someone by the balls.

 

Cassian had named 13 different expression from her. It was like a game for him at this point. 

 

The day dragged on. Cassian knew at some point he had to go into the office and meet with clients, potential clients. But he knew Nesta would never go for it. Maybe if he took them out to dinner. Nesta would be forced to accompany him, he’d have to figure out how to get her to agree. 

 

Just the thought of trying to ask her to do dinners for work gave him a headache. How would he even go about that? It was necessary for business, maybe he could convince her that way. It wasn’t a date. No, but it might be the closest thing he could get. He had gone over their morning about 400 times today. He picked apart every single piece she fed him, no matter how small the scrap.

 

The only thing he was able to figure out was that there was more to Nesta Archeron than he could have ever guessed.

 

* * *

 

 

Emerie strolled into Nesta’s office at 2:30. She plopped a manila folder on top of Nesta’s desk and walked over to the bookcase that took over half a wall.

 

“You’ll be pleased.” She plucked a book from the shelves.

 

She moved to sit on the couch that Cassian had claimed, opened the book and waited.

 

Nesta opened the envelope, eyes scanning everything. She read over birth certificates, past apartments, credit score, grades from elementary school. There was the divorce he spoke about, she read the name of the man- memorizing it to maybe use later. There was the note of the time they had at the shelter. Pictures of him as he grew up. Phone records. What was on his recently watched on Netflix.

 

“Netflix?” Arching an eyebrow at the woman.

 

“What? It’s good to know what he likes to watch.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How do you think it's going so far? I took a few lines of interaction straight from A court of wings and Embers. Sorry for any spelling errors!


	4. Chapter 4

_ Nesta sauntered over to Cassian eyes wary, cautious, but not distrusting wearing dark burgundy nightdress that was practically see through, just touching her thigh. She stopped in front of him for a moment, and he willed his hands to stay on the armrest, to not touch her. Because right now she had the power, and he would do anything that she wanted. He knew his eyes told her that. _

 

_ Nesta loomed over him, enjoying the way he was trying to keep himself under control, wouldn’t touch her until she told him it was ok. Cassian breathed in and out slowly, because he thought that was going to die right here. He closed his eyes desperately trying to control his body. _

 

_ “Tut, tut, brute.” Nesta’s voice was sultry, a tone that he never thought she would use on him. He opened his eyes in time to watch her move. She braced a hand on each shoulder, straddling him, pressing herself to him. Nesta moved her hands slowly, so so slowly, up his neck to his hair- pulling out the band that kept his hair pulled back so now it was falling to his shoulders. Running her fingers through his hair he bite down a moan at how good it felt when her nails scratched his scalp. His hands snapped to her waist, holding her down in fear she might start moving and….and Cassian didn’t know if he could control himself if she did that. _

 

_ She let her hands roam his body, trailing down his torso, a hand slipping under his shirt and moved to where his heart was. SHe dragged her nose along his neck, touching his ear, up to his eyes. Cassian opened his eyes, seeing a full view of her glorious neck open for him….and he moved. His lips were on her neck, kissing her pulse, and damn it if she didn’t sigh so quietly Cassian almost missed it. _

A loud bang and crashing jolted Cassian awake. He let out a frustrated grunt when a second, louder crash jolted him up. His senses went on high alert. He jolted up and ran out of bed, tripping of the blanket that had caught onto his leg. Falling out of his room he ran into the living room.

“CASSIAN WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?!” Cassian turned to see Nesta trying to pick up the books that fell from the small bookcase. In his panic he forgot that he slept  _ naked _ and had just run out of his room without thinking to put clothes on.

“What do you mean what am  _ I  _ doing? I heard a loud bang and thought you were getting kidnapped! Sorry me for trying to jump into action!” He covered his privates, praying Nesta didn’t eye his half hard dick because he really really did not want to explain what was the cause of  _ that _ particular detail. 

Still covering himself, he backed into the hallway and into his room.  _ I really should start sleeping with clothes on,  _ Cassian chuckled to himself mildly embarrassed...but he did notice Nesta’s eye lingering on him. He absolutely refused to think about that could mean, mean for now, later, ever. Well...maybe not ever. He was loathe to admit to anyone how much power the woman in the other room currently held over him, whether she knew it or not. And it had only been 4 days. 

He showered and got ready as fast as he could, knowing that she would just leave if she thought he might make her late. Throwing on jeans and a black shirt and boots and hurried to the living room.

“Carry this, you brute.” Nesta motioned to a small box. “Let’s go. The clinic opens in 45 minutes.”

She marched out the door with Cassian rushing behind her to match her step.

Once outside Cassian kept one eye on her and one on their surroundings. He knew she had been followed, but both times she was alone. An easy target. Cassian would make damn sure that if anyone was watching them right now, that she was far from an easy target. 

The pair had been walking for 10 minutes, not speaking. “Stop doing that.”

“Doing what?”

“Puffing your chest out, trying to be intimidating.” Rolling her eyes. “Stop being puffed up on whatever self importance you suddenly have in your head. Right. Now.” They turned the corner and the women’s shelter was upon them.

Cassiam tried, not very hard, but he tried to not be smug. And a little excited. “This is the women’s shelter you work with?” 

“Do you insist on stating the obvious?” Cassian just grinned and shrugged at her, continuing to cross the street. 

Troy was waiting there, pacing back and forth at the front door. He practically ran up Cassian to grab the box he was carrying. He had to resist the urge to chuckle at the young boys eagerness.

Cassian let Nesta knock on the front door, he gave it all of 3 seconds before he pulled out his keys. He picked the one that opened the door, brushing passed Nesta, and unlocked the front door. He turned to Nesta, gave her a smug grin and opened the door to let the two in. 

Before Cassian even got to get an antagonizing word out “Hi dears! Was the door open?” The older woman was fluttering around the lobby area and had yet to notice Cassian. 

“Ms. Archeron, your room is ready for….Cassian!” The old woman had finally turned around, moved in what would be considered a run to him, throwing her arms around him. He knew it had been a while since he had visited the shelter, but it wasn’t  _ that _ long ago.

“Oh Ms. have you met Cassian? Did you let them in?” Nesta’s face was set in a deep scowl, one that Cassian recognized that there would be hell to pay later. 

“How do you know him?” He watched her carefully. Her tone lacked its usual bite, but there was a hint of anger there.

“Cassian is the biggest benefactor of the shelter. His company is pretty much the reason we can stay open with as much resources as we have. Plus he goes to Illyria and helps bring the women who need help leaving here.” Nesta’s eyes flicked back and forth between them and Cassian could see the thoughts flying through her eyes, trying to figure out what was the right emotion or thought to express. Right now Cassian could see that she was angry, probably because she thinks he somehow  _ lied  _ to her, because he was magically supposed to know that she was the lawyer who had been handling cases at the clinic he funded. 

He knew, deep deep down, he knew that he shouldn’t press on. But he also recognized opportunity and he was not about to let it pass up.

“Nes, come on- there is no way that  _ you _ didn’t know how the shelter was funded.” Stalking a little closer to Nesta, with a small smile and quirked eyebrow. “If you need anything, feel free to come find me. I’m sure we can work something out.” He watched, biting back a chuckle at Nesta, who now looked like she was blowing smoke out of her ears. 

“Come on Daria, let’s leave Nesta and Troy to handle their business. Let’s go over what the needs are this month.” He put his hand on the back of the older woman’s shoulder to guide her away before Nesta butchered him. Opening the door to let the old woman through first, he couldn’t resist one last glance at Nesta. He casted a glance at her to find her glaring ice daggers at him, he winked and followed Daria, excited as he felt like this was a round he finally won against her. 

He was still thinking about what Nesta could possibly say to counter him when a soft wack hit him in the arm. “OUCH! What did I do to deserve a beating from you!” He saw Daria glaring at him, arms crossed and jaw set letting him know he was in trouble.

“You know exactly what you’re doing. That one is a prickly sort, but the ladies trust her, and she protects them. Don’t you go doing something stupid and chase her away.” Moving over to sit down at the table with some folders. “Now, let’s get this part of the way so I can help you with the girl.” 

“I have never needed help with women Daria.” Scoffing at the thought that he needed  _ help _ with women… he hadn’t needed help since his growth spurt at 15.

“Save it dear. You may be trying to fool yourself but you cannot fool these old eyes.” Cassian could only look at the old woman before him. He never made it a secret that he thought Nesta was attractive, but the woman just got under his skin in the most indescribable ways. Sometimes it only took a harsh look from her to set him off, and he was never one for quick anger. 

Running his hands through his hair he got to work with Daria.

* * *

 

Nesta mind was amuck. Was she getting the job done? Yes. Was she surprised at how well prepared Troy was? No, she wasn’t. She made herself clear what would happened if he was unable to handle these cases. But through every meeting she only had one thing running around in the back of her mind. Cassian.

What was it about him that got under her skin? He was arrogant, annoying, observant. He didn’t let her get in the last word if he could help it. When most men backed down, relented to her cold anger to get out of her way, do what she wanted, he never did that. He purposefully stood in her way, probably because he knew it would anger her. He poked at her, never shied away when others did. 

There was something about him that made her mind scream at her not to get too close, to be weary of everything about him because something about him screamed danger. But her body disagreed completely with her mind. Especially after the eye full she got this morning. That was not a sight she was like to forget...ever. The sight left her mouth dry, she might say she understood why the blonde girl from work was so hurt over his rejection...if he knew how to use it. 

“Miss, are you alright?” Nesta merely furrowed her eyebrows together. “It’s just… your face started getting a little red. I can take over for a little while if you need to step out. The next 2 cases are overviews and what-to-dos. I can do that.” Stifling a groan, but thankful to get some space to clear her head, she left the room and ventured through the hallway. 

Nesta strolled through the hallway making her way to the room where Emerie taught computers. Walking through the door she saw her and Cassian talking, close. A pang of jealousy hit her deep in her stomach as she watched the two laugh together, making her want to walk away and pretend she never saw it. 

“Nesta! How are the meetings? Do you have anything for me?” Emerie was cheerier, almost too much.

“What is going on?” Emerie went to go deny, but a glare stopped her as she opened her mouth. 

“We were talking about growing up in the Illyrian mountains. His tribe was on the other side of Mount Rancore. I told him about the time I brought you up there for a visit, and what you said to Chieftain Moncur.” Emerie was trying to stifle a laugh.

“I didn’t say anything funny. If I remember correctly I threatened him.” Scoffing as she opened up the folder to tell Emerie exactly what she needed. As she did, she became acutely aware of the fact that Cassian was in the room, and that he was slowly making his way to her. She could feel the heat of his body  as he got closer. He did moved slower, giving Nesta time to build up an extra layer of steel and fire and anger to keep him at the arms length that she required from l those in her life. 

“So, what did you think about the land?” Nesta stood up straight, sending him a scathing glare to let him know that whatever bait her was throwing she would not pick up.

“It was cold. Emerie, tell me every detail that you can find out about these men.” Emerie came over and her eyes went wide, picking up a few papers. 

“Nesta…..what is this about?” Emerie’s tone was cautious, almost scared. She knew what Nesta wanted to do, she’s been talking about it for a while but Emerie clearly thought that it was a far fetched idea. One that Nesta had slowly but surely figuring out how she wanted to execute it.

“Yes. Emerie, these women need help. They are taking away these women’s rights, choosing their lives for them. Hurting them. Making them feel like they have no choice. Someone has to stop their patriarchal, masochistic, vile asses. And I decided to stop dallying around.” 

Cassian moved behind Nesta, looking over her shoulder to the papers on the table. Each one listed a Chieftain from the Illyrian tribes, and under each Leader was a list of women, each with a different crime next to them. Raped. Assaulted. Arranged Marriage where the women was a payment. Education. 

“Is this what I think it is?” He leaned down when he spoke and Nesta tried not to shiver as the air from his words caressed her neck.. Cassian was close, his chest lightly pressing against her back, making her want to melt and punch him simultaneously. 

Snatching the papers from his hands, “Depends, are you smart enough to even understand the words on the papers? Or do you need me to read it out loud, slowly,  so you can hope to actually understand a third of it?” 

She could feel the way his body moved when he chuckled. “Sweetheart, you can read to me anytime, but I prefer to hear ‘The Summer Nights’.” And then suddenly he was gone ad Nesta immediately missed the warmth he brought her, she hadn’t noticed how cold she had felt until the warmth wasn’t there any more.

“We can start working on this tomorrow. Today we are done here. It’s 2 pm. We need to shop and get ready for tonight.” Emerie was bouncing as she spoke, like the thought of dragging Nesta out for the night made her so excited she literally could not contain her excitement.

“Fine. I’ll go get Troy to pack up.” Marching out of the room, trying to dispel the anxiety that was slowly creeping its way through her body. She hated social outings, even more so when it was assumed that you had to interact or socialize and well… fake being nice to people . It was so stupid. And it just made people call her names, not that she cared, when they thought she couldn’t hear. Like cold. Frigid. Mean. Cruel. Or her personal favorite, bitch. 

She moved quietly into the room where Troy and another woman, most likely around her age sat, talking. She watched Troy work, eyebrows furrowing as he wrote down, listening intently. She liked how she could read how much he cared about the work being done here. 

Seeing that the conversation was winding down she moved to the table to sit next to Troy. “How is everything here. Anything new to add to the pile?”

Troy eagerly shook his head in confirmation. “Yes. A lot. I think you will be pleased.” He turned to the woman in front of him. “Velna, thank you for coming here. I have enough for now. We will put together so options on what the best way, legally, to handle this.” Velna gave them a small smile and nod and left.

“It’s time to go. Would you be ok with taking the folders with you, and bringing them back to the office Monday? You’re new desk will be set up by then.” Nesta packed as she spoke. When she got no response for the first question she finally looked up to see the boy/man with a childhood excitement and shock written all over his face. It grated on her how easily she could read every emotion that he felt on his face. She would have to work on having a constant neutral face for the courtroom.

“What is it that you’re saying? Please please please! Spell it out for me because I don’t know if I am able to even handle thinking it!” 

“If you need me to say the actual words, fine. You are going to be my new associate. For now you will work solely on the cases related to this. After that we can work on some more...less meaningful but higher paying clients.” Troy shrieked, enveloping Nesta in a tight hug that made her go completely rigid. But it was over as fast at it happened, with Troy muttering apologies under his breath for touching her in such a way.

“It’s fine. Do not let it happen again.” Leveling him with a glare, a warning. “This will require long hours. And I will not be kind. I will let you know when you are slacking, I expect more from you than any other person at the firm. This might get dangerous from time to time. If you accept, please keep that in mind.” Because there would be long hours. There would be threats. It could be dangerous. But it was important and she needed someone strong to assist her in this.

“I accept. Completely. Totally. Let’s take down these patriarchal sons of bitches.” Then a sly smile bloomed on his face. “If things get dangerous, can we get that hunky Illyrian man candy to watch over us?” Nesta’s eyes widened fractionally. She wasn’t shocked..okay maybe just a little bit. The only person to talk about anything like that was Emerie, and even she had yet to start about Cassian and his…...Cassian-ness. 

“He doesn’t swing my way, I know that. But maybe he has someone on staff that does, who also looks a lot like him. But he has to have the Rite tattoos, or else he’s not as dreamy. I know that man has Rite tattoos.” 

“Rite tattoos?” Nesta had read a little bit about them, but cast the knowledge to the side as it was never prevalent to her cases, not yet at least.

“Yes. A sign that you made it up the mountain Raziel with just your strength and brain. You get tattoos after you’ve successfully completed it. Marking you as a proper warrior in the eyes of the elders.” A soft chuckle escaped Troy. “And that man looks like the ideal warrior. With the height, muscles, hair, there is no way he didn’t complete the Rite- probably beat everyone.” He spoke almost wistfully so.

“I barely speak to him. You know more about him already than I do.”  _ And that’s how I want to keep it,  _ she thought to herself. There was something about him and made her want to learn more, think more, explore more and she was not ready to do any of that any time soon.

Walking through the hallways, rounding the corner she stopped short. Cassian was talking closely to a beautiful woman, blonde hair, legs. Boobs, thin. Confident. They were talking and laughing, and from here Nesta could see the creases that scrunched on the corner of his eyes and he smiled widely at whatever the blonde she-devil had said. When the blonde creature placed a soft hand on his upper arm, and Nesta had the sudden urge to launch the bitch across the room.

“So, you do think he’s attractive” A familiar female voice spoke up next to her. Rolling her eyes at Emerie she bite out “No idea what you’re talking about.”

And then a soft chuckle behind them made them look. “Should we take a bet dear?” Daria spoke to Emerie, not Nesta.

“What kind of bet?”

“About these two. Which one will cave first and profess their love.” The older woman chuckled as Nesta silently glared at her. Trying to use her will to shut the woman up.  _ Love _ ?  _ I can barely stand him when he opens his mouth. Or breathes. _

“Oh my. You’re giving me the glare. Fortunately for you I don’t care. I’ve known you for a bit, and him 3 times as long. It’s an even match, the two of you. I’ve never seen someone not fall for him the moment they met him. It’s pleasant to watch someone make him try, think a little more.”

Nesta looked at the woman, into the older eyes that were tired, but held amusement, with a twinkle of wisdom. “And you. My ice cold lawyer who takes on men and shows them they have no right to just take women as they see fit. The liberator, one who helps these women feel strong and independent. It would do you well to find someone who would become the Lord of Bloodshed to help you.” 

“Lord of Bloodshed?” a deep male voice came up on them.  _ How did he moved so softly when he was so….large? _  “Daria, don’t go telling everyone about my nickname please.” Looking behind him, Nesta saw that the blonde was still there, looking rather put out that Cassian had left Nesta just eyed him, envisioning him beating up the stupid men who come after her, similar to a the knights she read in her romance novels at home.

“By Daria thank you. I know have to get Nesta ready for our monthly outing.” The group left, saying their goodbyes.

Once outside Emerie turned to her “I know you have no clothes to wear. You say this every single month. So we are going shopping. Now. “ And dragged her along, Cassian dutifully following while trying not to laugh at the look of horror and misery that was showing on her face. 

* * *

 

Cassian had to admit, he liked shopping with Nesta almost as much as she clearly hated shopping in general. 

Emerie dragged her through two stores so far. He watched as Emerie threw clothes at Nesta, forcing her to try on a slew of things that even he knew she would never wear. But when she came out in a form fitting black dress, that was slinky, silky, hugging her Cassian didn’t have words. He felt his throat go completely dry when she walked back into the dressing room and he saw the open back he had to turn away.

“You okay there? You look like you’re about to pass out.” He could hear the laugh in Emerie’s voice. He scowled instead of responding. 

“Oh now- don’t get all big guy on campus with me. I can see right through that. You forget I grew up around Illyrian men my entire life. You might be able to hide the look from her, but you don’t stand a chance with me.”

“You keep talking but I have no idea what you’re talking about.” But he did. Of course he did. Nesta was like no woman he had met before. For the first time he felt like he had trouble keeping up with her, matching her words was possibly the hardest exercise for him, but he loved it. For the first time a woman made him think in order to keep up, rather than idle chit chat that he was growing to get bored of. 

He walked net Nesta, on the side closest to the road. Opening his phone as it rang he saw it was Azriel. 

Emerie rolled her eyes but had some mischief in her eyes. “Answer it. We have one more store to go and we don’t need your help to get there. It’s two doors down.” Cassian nodded, answering the phone as he made sure they walked into the store.

“Hey, you got something for me?” He needed information. Nesta was about to upend the oldest traditions of peoples in the entire country. He had a gut feeling that this Tomas person was bad, and it was more than suspicious.

“I have something. A lot of something that I’m not really sure what to make of it just yet. I’ll email it to you.”

“Thanks.” Cassian was excited to get into the files. There was something there...he knew it. “What do you mean you’re ‘not sure what to make of it’?

“He has a lot of locked files. Just one that was of particular interest that I sent to you, and he has been gunning for Nesta for literally years. Same law school, it almost seems like he’s very….jealous of her. But just her. No one else in their graduating year. He is there for every meeting that Nesta might be, in person at all times.”

“I feel like what’s happening with her is seperate from Feyre and Rhys.” His gut told him he was right. “Thanks. I’ll see you soon.” He hung up and walked to the store. He didn’t look at the kind of store, just strolled in still scrolling through his phone. 

A cough from behind him caused him to pause and look up…..seeing a bunch of barely there, lacy underthings. He turned wide-eyed to Emerie who was stifling a laugh.

“Nesta is trying on a few somethings. Is there anything you might want to send back for her to try?” Cassian looked around frantically for a moment. Nesta was somewhere, probably a few feet away trying on lingerie that barely covered anything, but didn’t hold back his imagination in the slightest. 

A burnt, deep red number that reminded him of his dream this morning caught his eye. He pointed to it, and Emerie moved got Nesta’s size and went to the back to get it for her. He was secretly hoping that she would show him what it looked like, but he knew that would not be happening anytime soon. He wasn’t sure he would be able to control himself if he saw her like that. His hot Illyrian blood was pumping through his veins, fast, telling him to claim the woman before someone got the chance.

It was then, because timing was an absolute bitch, that both Emerie and Nesta can out from the back holding a number of tiny undergarments and went to the cashier. Cassian tried not to look, or oogle the pieces, but that was until he saw red. Specifically the red piece that he had picked out. Excitement bloomed in his chest that he might have an actual chance at living his dream. 

He grabbed the bag and swiped his card before he even processed what was actually going on. Nesta was going to burn him alive and dance on his corpse, but it was worth it. He marched out the door of the store, holding it open for an amused Emerie and furious Nesta. 

“Where is the bar you’re going to? I might need extra security, just in case.” He marched on, holding the bag with a death grip. 

“Rita’s.” Emerie was trying to not double over laughing as she answered. Between the smug look on Cassian’s face and the anger in Nesta’s it was likely about to be world war 3 in a few minutes.

“Perfect. I love that place. I’ll get some extra guys there.”

Emerie headed off in the other direction as they reached the corner, “See you two in 5 hours. Rest up Nesta baby! It’s gonna be a great, drunken night for us!” And just like that she was skipping down the street.

* * *

 

 

Nesta got ready for the night. She was angry, and it might have been irrational but she didn’t care. She didn’t care that when Cassian saw her his jaw practically hit the floor. Didn’t care that she could feel his eyes on her the entire walk to the club. Because she was on a mission. A mission to show Cassian just want she could do. That she knew how to work a man. To wipe that smug look off his face.

 

* * *

 

Cassian didn’t have words. Well, he did. Beautiful. Goddess. Temptress. Woman who would kill him. He wanted to fall to his knees when he saw her. But, rather than put his foot in his mouth he kept quiet. He knew she was still angry with him, he could feel the anger and hate radiating from her.

He wanted to chase after when she left him there, still dumbfounded at how perfect she looked. A tiny voice was screaming at him to keep her home. To make her his. To not let a single male who had impure thoughts about her, kind of like he was right now. 

Walking in the club, Cassian immediately saw the guys he had called in. Greeting them all he went into the job.

“See the woman, black dress, angry look on her face by the bar to the left?” Teek, the youngest of the group rolled his eyes.

“Oh you mean the hottest woman that is likely to entire this building all night? Yeah, I noticed her the moment she stormed in here.” All 3 men chuckled in agreement. He tampered down this male possessiveness he was feeling.

“Hey, hey. Relax man. We appreciate from afar. Let’s get in position boys.” The older one, Ranard clapped his hands and all the guy scattered to different spots. Grabbing a beer and blending in so that no one knew what their real purpose was.

Raynard handed Cassian a beer, and stood next to him, eyes scanning the entire club.

“So, are you going to tell me why this woman was so important that you called in 3 other guys to back you up?” 

Sighing, “You know that lawyer that the tribes keep talking about? The one they all hate because she’s trying to change everything they know?” He waited as the realization hit Raynard.

“That’s  _ her? _ Nesta Archeron? But she’s so….i’m not sure. I just thought she would be bigger than life the way the tribes grumble about her. “ Raynard paused for a moment. “Have the tribes been threatening her? Because if I’m not mistaken she’s helped each one of these men’s sisters, mothers, friends or wives get out of there when shit hit the fan.”

“I’m not sure but she’s being followed. I have had to change a few day to day stuff to keep her safe.” He watched Nesta intently. Watched as she took a shot with Emerie and other women who all looked like the knew each other. How she stood off, not uncomfortable, just in her own Nesta world, where she kept everyone at distance. There was a story, a reason behind that. What would it take for her to let him be the one to close that distance?

A flash of red hair set him on edge. Gripping his beer bottle a little tighter he watched as Eris Vanserra talk to the group of girls Nesta was in. He watched silently as the guy sad something and the women around him laugh, except for Nesta.

“Ugh, just when I thought she couldn’t get worse. She hangs out with Eris.” Mor snuck up behind him. He could hear the disapproval in her voice.

 

“I beg to differ. It looks like Vanserra is trying but failing to swoon her.”  The sight of Nesta rejecting Eris, that was so easily seen from across the room gave him a little bit of fire. 

Turning to Mor, “If you don’t tell me what she did to make you dislike her, than I’m going to have to chalk it up to unnecessary girl drama.” This was a point he was not going to budge on. He always took what Mor said under advisement, often times following her lead- and he never dated a girl that she didn’t like. They had a bond that was in a weird place, where he slept with her to help her out of a terrible situation, where she became a best friend, the first person she told when she talked to him about girls and how that’s what she was interested in. He became a protector to her slowly but surely. But, he was not going to let Mor stop him, or make him second guess this. 

When he saw that she didn’t have an answer he walked away from Mor and towards Nesta. The closer he got to her the more he could see how uncomfortable she was. It was hard to tell from far away but now that he was up close he could see it written all over the way she held herself.

* * *

 

It wasn’t that Nesta disliked Eris. He just… tried too hard. And I also felt vulnerable with how much I had to drink already. 

When Nesta had first met Eris, in the courtroom, his younger  brother had done something stupid and Nesta was suing them. It took her less than 3 hours to get them to settle for fines, his brother wasn’t allowed to be anywhere near the business for 2 years, and a slew of others things. They barely put up a fight, not that they had much to begin with.

But the rumor started running that Eris took one look at Nesta and fell in love, and told the lawyers to go with whatever she had suggested. He had tried to ask her out in a few different ways, flowers, various levels of embarrassing ways that were outlandish and ostentatious. It made her want to vomit. 

Eris was saying something, Nesta was doing her best to pretend like he didn’t exist, and with the amount of alcohol it wasn’t hard to ignore him. Suddenly she felt a familiar warmth behind her. 

“What are we drinking, sweetheart?” Cassian leaned down, whispering into her ear. A shiver ran down her spine and she prayed he didn’t notice. Turning to face him, he had on a shit-eating grin on, with amusement and something else lighting his eyes.  _ Stupid body. You’re not supposed to react like that. _

“Tequila.” She was angry suddenly, at him, at the world for making her feel like she was less than a woman, even if they had never actually said it. She turned and saw an angry looking Eris, looking at Cassian like he was the devil incarnate.  _ Interesting.  _

“Look at what the dogs dragged in.” Eris was standing relaxed, but his face looked like he wanted a fight. 

“Eris, that joke is old, just like your pathetic lines to get women. What do you do know? Tell them how much is in your trust fund to get them to go home with you?” And then they were staring at each other. Cassian with his tall, muscular body ready for battle and Eris who looked like a sunset. It didn’t take a scientist to know that Cassian would win that fight. Nesta looked at Emerie trying to figure out what to do. When Emerie just shrugged Nesta grabbed her drink out of Cassian’s hand, threw it back and looked at the two men who were seconds away from throwing punches. 

“We are going to dance. I suppose you can join us after you finish the ‘Who’s bigger’ stare down.” Nesta looked furiously back and forth between the two men and walked with Emerie to the dance floor, leaving them behind.

Nesta lifted her hands and let music bump through her body. “I don’t know what the change is, but you look like you’re actually having fun!” Her friend screamed at her over the music. Nesta rolled her eyes and continued to move her body.

Suddenly large hands were on her hips, spinning her around. She opened her eyes to find Cassian there grinning like a feline at her. Leaning down, never taking his hands off her waist “I believe I was invited to dance.” Nesta narrowed her eyes at him, but turned around to dance instead of responding. 

Nesta danced, like she had never before. Cassian danced with her the entire time, moving with her, spinning her around, grinding their bodies together. Nesta had no idea how long they had been dancing together, the songs blended into each other. 

Nesta was facing Cassian, dancing together her hands winding through the hair at the nape of his neck, his hands on her hips and lower back, pressing her to him. She suddenly felt like it was too much, that he was too close, and she needed space, needed to breath air that he was in.

She pushed away and moved through to the bathroom.  She opened the stall and locked it. Breathing in out, trying to calm her racing heart. It was fine. She was fine. Cassian just got...a little too close. And Nesta loved every single moment of it. It was scary. She was panicking.  _ I’m stronger than this. Just get out there and be you. He’ll run away soon enough. I can do this. _ After she felt she had sufficiently felt like her pep talk she stood up, ready to take on whatever she had just ran away from.

Nesta left the bathroom and was about to walk back to the dance floor, when a hand that held a cloth pressed against her mouth and everything went black.

  
  
  


 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys are into the story thus far! I don't have anyone editing it but me so I hope you can over look everything.
> 
> Also- I don't hate Mor, I just hate how she always inserted herself between Nesta and Cassian.


	5. Chapter 5

Cassian stood on the dance floor unmoving while everyone danced around him, some bumping into his still form . His mind was reeling. Every single thing that had happen in the last few minutes felt like it was out of a movie. Had they really danced for a few minutes? Or was it more like hours? His body had yet to register that Nesta left, practically ran away, he still felt her hot cold touch on his body, in his hair. It was like a dream he wasn’t aware he had was now all he could think about.

“Trouble in paradise there, mutt?” Eris leaned over to get in Cassian’s line of view, eyes full of mirth. The sudden urge to knock him out was overwhelming, but he knew now was not the place for it. It’d be broken up much to quickly.

“Shut the fuck up Vanserra. Didn’t I just watch you get rejected without her even actually saying anything?” Cassian growled, hands forming fists when one of his men caught his eye. Looking up he saw that Teek was enamoured with a pretty brunette, drink in hand, and certainly not paying attention to Nesta.  He turned and saw that each and every one of them had the attention elsewhere, and not a single one had noticed Nesta walk away to the bathroom. None of them were even close. 

Anger quickly gave way to anxiety. How long had she been gone? Cursing his selfishness in thinking about her but not actually paying attention to her whereabouts, which was his actual  _ job _ , Cassian’s heart started racing. Pushing his way through the dancing bodies he moved towards the back of the club, to where he thought Nesta had run off towards, but now he wasn’t even certain he had watched her go all the way to the bathroom line. The closer he got, the faster he started to move pushing through the crowd as fear started to seep into him the closer he got to the bathroom line and didn’t see her.

He looked at the women coming in and out of the bathroom, and hoped she was just hiding from him. Cassian tried to take deep calming breaths as he forced himself to walk. He trampled past the women trying to enter the bathroom ignoring their yelling at him, walking past the door to the bathroom. He walked all the way down the almost pitch black hall, stopped turned around pacing the length of the hallway. He knew by this point he looked crazy, club goers probably assuming he was on some kind of drug. 

“Everything ok?” Ranard questioned behind him causing him to jump slightly. 

“Where did she go?” Looking at the man with unchecked anger in his eyes. “She walked back here, and then never came back. How long has she been gone?” Ranard picked up his phone, and turned on the flashlight. Aiming it to the ground he did a sweep, staying silent the entire time. 

“A while, but maybe around 10. You were standing there looking pretty dazed as she ran away.” Raynard stopped talking for a moment, looking around the floor for something. “We can talk about why she ran away from you like a bat out of hell later. But it doesn’t appear she dropped anything here. Maybe we should just barge into the bathroom. She might still be there.”  

Cassian’s control on his anger snapped because he knew in his gut that she wasn’t hiding out in the bathroom. He had Ranard up against the wall growling at him. “Where the fuck was everyone. We had one job. Make sure she’s safe.”

“Uhm, Sir.” A voice ran up behind him. “I found her phone. And her bag.” Snapping his head to the young cadet Teek and the other man Cassian had brought in… Adrian was holding a phone and bag that were both distinctively Nesta’s.

“Where?” Cassian was now growling, his animalistic rage getting the better of him.

“Near the trap door.”  _ Trap Door? Since when did Rita’s have that? And how did I not know about it,  _ he thought frustratedly to himself. “It’s all black, easy to miss if you don’t know where it is. No handle or anything.”

“Show me, we need to go through it, see where it leads. Call the head of security and get the videos of every camera from the last 30 minutes. Let’s go. If they took her they haven’t been gone long.” His men nodded, and scattered to their various duties without another word.

Cassian’s mind is running in a hundred different directions. This was not supposed to have happened. He was supposed to watch her, keep her safe. Keep people from harming her. Instead he walked her straight into danger. It was his fault. She could be hurt, in so many different ways, and it was because of him. Guilt came up and sat heavy on his chest, with anger ruling his movements now. 

He pushed through the hidden door, turning the flashlight on his phone and walked. Once the door closed, it became so quiet in that Cassian could hear the breathing of Raynard behind him. It would be so easy to push someone into this place and not have a soul be the wiser. Trying not to let his anxiety about the situation get the best of him, Cassian started walking faster, taking in as much detail of the hallway as possible. 

“Don’t worry Cass. I know it looks shitty now, but we’ll get her back and safe.” Raynard spoke softly. 

Cassian must have been visibly worried, scared even for Raynard to start lending out lines like that. Shitty was not the right word to describe the situation at hand. It gratted on him in the worst kind of way, because it was  _ his fault _ and not anyone else’s. His promise that was broken to keep her safe. 

After what felt like hours, but was probably no more than 3 minutes both men hit the end of the hallway with a door that had a doorknob on it. Cassian felt his heart leap into his chest, hoping that Nesta would be there. But when he opened it up to 2 more doors. Growling he went to one while Raynard went to the other. 

“We should open on at a time, just in case.” Cassian was thankful for the older man, who clearly had his head firmly on his shoulders because Cassian knew that in this moment he was not acting like the Commander that he was used to. They counted to 3, and opened the door to the left, which lead to what had to be the kitchen, given the loud sounds of clanging and heat that was emanating from the room. Knowing that if someone was going to kidnap anyone, they wouldn’t have gone this way, they closed the door. Moving to the next door Cassian had to pause, sent a silent prayer to the cauldron that Nesta was there and he had time. 

But when they opened the door to the alley behind the bar Cassian felt like his heart stopped, because now he knew that this had turned into a worst case for him. Stepping into the alley and looking from one end to the other, trying to figure out which way they took her and how. 

Running a frustrated hand through his hair, pacing Cassian looked around the alley when he saw a small, black heel a few feet away, just on the other side.  Moving slowly, praying it wasn’t what he knew with absolute certainty it was. 

Picking up the shoe, Cassian felt like someone had ripped out a piece of him, but he wasn’t sure what piece it was. 

With a shrill his phone went off. “Have answers.” barking out the words, because if someone called him without an answer right now he was unsure of what he was liable to do.

“Lucky day commander, cause that is exactly what I have for you. We have video of a small, black crossover leaving from behind the alley, no more than 10 minutes ago. Adrian is on his way to the office now to hack into the traffic cams and follow the lead. Plates look to be fakes.” It wasn’t good news. But it was better than he was expecting. 

“I’ll call in my team, get them to the office and ready for an extraction. We’ll head back the Headquarters now.” Raynard pulled out his phone and started typing. Cassian tried to calm himself down. 10 minutes was not a long time, yet it felt like years, a lifetime even. So much could be done in 10 minutes. It took less that 10 minutes to pull a trigger, took less than 10 minutes to start torturing someone. Took less than 10 minutes to harm someone irrevocably. He had to stop his line of thought at that, focusing on what the next steps were going to be to get Nesta back safe and sound with him.

“Cass, let’s go. Adian is the best in the business, it’s why you hired his scrawny ass. By the time we get there he’ll have the location and we can get your girl back.” Cassian went to open his mouth and explain how Nesta was  _ not _ his girl, and most definitely would chop his balls off at the thought went Raynard cut off him before he even started. “Please boss, when this is all said and done and she’s back, we are all going to give you so much unending shit about that dance. It will be worth the drills we’ll get.” Putting a hand on his shoulder, chuckling a bit, Raynard lead Cassian out of the alley and down the street where Teek had a car pulled up. It was then that Cassian was thankful, more thankful than he would be able to express, at how well trained his teams were.

 

* * *

 

 

By the time the three men made it to their office, the entire team was there, suited up and ready for action. Removing all feelings from the situation, because he knew that in a situation like this, feelings clouded judgement- they got in the way. Cassian nodded at them and moved to Adian in the back.

“Hi. Great.” Aidan looked excited, which gave a little hope to the situation. “The truck pull off here, at this warehouse.” Adian pulled out pictures, and a blueprint of the building. “From what it looks like there is 2 entry ways. One is the garage doors, which we have on camera the men pulling into. We have a small, pixelated glimpse of Nesta, just her head as they open up the door.” Cassian grabbed the picture, examining it with expert precision for any injuries that could be found, put the picture and angel didn’t give him much to go off of. “It looks as if there if no more than 10 people there. I have counted 5 going in recently but none coming out.” Adian pulled out a few more photos. “These are the weapons the look to have, mostly handguns but I don’t know if they have other firearms inside the building. So we best keep that in mind.”

“I have also sent a small team to her residence, in case who ever this is sent over any ransom to her place. I also contacted Azriel as well, to monitor it while you go in for extraction.”  _ Shit,  _ he thought gripping the end of the table,  _ I forgot about calling them.  _

“Do we have a medic?” 

“Yes, our staffed medic will meet us on site.” 

“Great. The second I get her back, take all her things and bring it to my place.” Because her place is now not safe, compromised because of  _ him _ . “And please tell Azriel that we will contact him when we get her back, but advise him and Rhysand that we will contact them with updates. Not the other way around”

“Understood. Now for the actual plan. Everything looks basic. As though they have just set up whatever base there over the past weeks or so. Nothing is visibly fortified, it just depends on how you want to go in, loud or quiet?” 

“Quiet. It will be safer for her if they don’t see us there until they’re almost dead.”

“Got it. So here is the best strategic move for you.” And Cassian went into autopilot, his thoughts singularly on Nesta. Getting her back, unharmed with that fiery rage aimed at him. 

 

* * *

 

 

Nesta woke up, groggily, groaning slightly as she moved her stiff limbs. Her head was pounding, like a hangover, but much much worse. Trying to open her eyes she saw pitch black, but when she blinked she realized that she was blindfolded. Trying to move her hands, she found that they were bound behind her, making it difficult to move from the lying position she felt herself in. 

A door creaked open “Well, well, well, looks like the princess has finally woken up.” A slimy voice spoke, and a second patter of footsteps followed in. 2 men, she realized. She was in a room, with 2 men, blindfolded.

“The guy said not to touch her.” The second man had a warning in his tone. “He’s away apparently, was surprised to hear that we got to her so fast.” the second man said.

“At least we’ll be getting paid for a job well done.” The first one chuckled. 

“You look just a little uncomfortable there, deary. Here let me help you.” And a rough calloused hands grabbed her, lifting her up in a sitting position. The fingers lingered on the straps of her dress, and Nesta moved her shoulder to get the hands off of her. 

“We didn’t cover your mouth. Are you going to fucking speak?” And then hands were on either shoulder, gripping the straps of her dress. Panic rose up, biting at the back of Nesta’s throat. 

Swallowing the bile down, she spoke “If you touch me again, you will regret it. I promise.” Her voice came out strong, unwavering, and angry despite the terror she felt inside.

The pair of men chuckled, “Once the boss is done with you, you’ll be wishing it was me.” And then there were hands on her again. She wiggled, tried to move, kick, find anything to hurt when a second pair grabbed her.

“Stay still, this won’t hurt a bit.” Hands wrapped around her, with a hard yank, she heard her dress ripping all the way down her body and cold air was hitting her harder, harsher than before, leaving her exposed to anyone to see. 

“Well aren’t you a pretty little thing.” Anger like Nesta had never experienced before built up in her. “We’ll be back, just sit tight and wait for us, why don’t you?” He was close, Nesta could feel his breath. Taking a chance, she threw her leg towards the voice, feeling a thrill when she landed a kick. 

“Offf.” and a body hit the ground. “You.” a labored breath came out of the man. But before he had any time to finish the thought, or gain his composure to speak a blaring siren went off.

 

* * *

 

 

Cassian was fully immersed with the task at hand. Nesta was no longer Nesta, but a soldier taken by hostiles and it was of dire importance that he get her back safe and sound. It was the only way he was able to function. Because he would not be able to admit out loud, or to himself just how scared he was at how he might find her.

Sneaking in on the side gate, his head peace went off with Adian’s voice. “Alright everyone. Their security cameras on the outside are on loops. They won’t see you coming in.” So the team moved, aided by the cover of night.10 men went to one side, 10 to the other, and 3 on each side. It was overkill, Cassian knew it, but he didn’t care and he knew none of the men would say it. Not when they found out who it was that was being rescued “The Nesta Archeron”. 

Looking at his watch, reading 4:45 am “Alright boys. She’s been gone for 5 hours. Let’s go get her back.” And the team moved as one, silently to their positions.

“Alpha. Bravo. Chad. check. Remember, we need to take in a few for questioning.” Cassian waited to hear them all check in and that they were ready to go.

“3, 2, 1. Fire.” Cassian pressed the detonator that went off at every door they were at. Breaking the door the rest of the way off its hinges, he threw in the smoke bomb. Covering his face with the mask he moved in.

Time slowed down. Cassian cleared out room after room, none of them yeilding his target. A sickening feeling hit his gut,  _ had they moved her and he had no idea?  _ A scream tore him out of his treacherous thoughts. A loud, distinctly feminine scream- and Cassian ran towards it, like he had never ran towards anything in his life before. 

He hit a door in a corner, that was locked from the inside. Another scream came from behind the door, albeit stifled, like someone had run over to cover her mouth. He tried to door again, with his shoulder this time.

“Woah there. Use this.” Raynard was behind him, handing his a door bomb. “It’ll be more effective and you won’t dislocate your shoulder.” Cassian grabbed the tiny bomb, barely giving himself 2 feet of space before he detonated it. 

Throwing the door out of his way , he barged into the room, eyes scanning for Nesta. He had prepared himself for anything. But when he saw her in just her lace underthings, blindfolded and tied up. White hot blinding anger hit him so hard he almost took a step back. 

Pushing forward he looked her up and down for any injuries. In three big steps he was in front of her bending down to pull off her blindfold. Blindfold off he saw her eyes, a tiny red-rimmed, the only way he was able to visibly tell she might have cried. But before he got to say a word a fist cracked his jaw.

Like an asp, Cassian whirled onto his feet to face the assailant. Squaring up against the man who looked oddly familiar, he scanned over the body to see if he had any small guns that would cause issue.

Suddenly there was 4 other men in the room besides his own. But these men were untrained, and woefully unprepared for Cassian’s well trained men. A few fast shots off their tranquilizer guns sent every man down. Every man except the one who was currently brawling Cassian. With a few quick steps Cassian had himself expertly positioned between the man and Nesta. 

Cassian was usually a patient man when fighting, usually. He toyed with the man, excited to put his anger into someone. He laughed when the man threw a few punches that were easily deflected before Cassian went on the offensive and landed 3 consecutive hits, to the jaw, the kidneys and the ribs that made him hit the floor. One of his men was there and an instant and tied up the groaning man.

Cassian turned, his full attention on Nesta again, untying her, checking her body, her very very visible body for any injuries. Helping her up it finally hit him that she was practically naked. He hastily undid his bullet proof vest, took off his shirt and put it on her. It was a little sweaty, but it was big enough that it reached her mid thigh. She tried to move past him, but he stopped her, putting on his bullet proof vest on her as well. 

 

* * *

 

 

She was scared, she knew anyone in the room could look at her and see it written all over her body. She had never, ever been so relieved to see that big stupid brutes face before, thankful that he was so large his shirt was a rather short dress on her. She stared at Cassian, who stared back, constantly assessing her with a hand on either side of her waist holding her up. Nesta looked at him, placing a hand on each bicep and took a step into his body. His arms circled around her, giving her heat she desperately needed, and something more. Something to ground herself with, to let her know that the scariest few hours in her life were over. They were over because he came like he promised he would. 

A groan had her narrowing her eyes toward the corner of men. Finally unbound and somewhat covered she stalked over to the man who she had just kicked in the ball.

Getting down to his level, Nesta grabbed his face to force him to look at her. “I told you that you’d regret it if you touched me again.” And she threw his face out of her hands and backed away towards Cassian, who had a slight grin on his face.

A cough from behind Cassian snapped Nesta back into the reality of now. “Cass, we’re good to go. Building is secure. Loading up the men that didn’t escape now. We can head out.”

“How many did we get?” Cassian spoke to the man behind him, but never took his eyes off Nesta, nor did he remove his arms from her side that he had placed on her once she was in reach again.

“Four including the guy over there.” He pointed toward the groaning sack in the corner.

“Good. Take them to our warehouse. Lock them up, we’ll deal with it in a few hours.’’ The hands on Nesta got a little tighter, which she found to be..not unpleasant at all, given the circumstance.

She tried to walk, but was immediately sweept up off feet by Cassian. “Put me down you brute.” Her voice was hoarse, and hurt a little to talk louder than a whisper from the screaming she had done.

“Not a chance sweetheart. I’ll be carrying you straight to the medic waiting for you outside. Once she can clear you, you’ll be able to walk all by yourself.” Nesta wiggled, trying to get Cassian to drop her, glaring daggers at him- which she knew he saw but pretended he wasn’t. When it just caused him to hold her tighter she gave up.  _  It’s only a few more feet until I can stop being embarrassed and treated like a child. _

 

* * *

 

 

Cassian carried Nesta to the Medic in the van. Went as far as carrying her into the back of the van and setting her down. He had ignored every glare, every mumbled word, held on tighter when she wiggled trying to get out of his grasp. He would be damned if he let her go now, after he just found her.

She had fought. Blindfolded. She fought and Cassian was thankful that she still had that undeniable Nesta rage in her, especially when she grabbed her captors face and threw it back at him. And shit was he proud of her, even though he knew he had no right to be. He knew in an hour she might crumble, but he would be there. Because dammit if it wasn’t his fault it happened. And dammit if he wouldn’t be there to support her along the way.

He stayed no more than 2 feet away from her while the medic checked her out. Glaring at anyone who took a step to close. It was a new level of protectiveness that he had never exhibited before now.  

He was no more than 6 inches away from her as they rode in the back of the security car to his town house, his fingers were itching to move the hair that had fallen out of her braid behind her ear. 

“Why are we going to your townhouse and not my apartment?” Her voice was hoarse and Cassian made a mental note to have tea made for her as soon as they got to his townhouse.

“Yours has been compromised. Until we go through it with a fine tooth comb we will need to stay here.” He watched her as her posture stiffened. “My place is big sweetheart. Don’t knock it ‘til you’ve seen it.” 

In under 5 minutes they were pulling through the gated community of Cassian’s townhouse. Townhouse was a bit of an understatement when he thought about Nesta’s apartment. His townhouse was more of a mini mansion, but he was suddenly nervous at what her thoughts might be about his residence. He watched her as they pulled into his driveway. Stayed still as she looked at the home before her, quirking an elegant eyebrow at him before she moved to get out of the car. He hastily grabbed it, keeping it closed.

“I had to tell Rhys and Az what was going on, so you know Elain and Feyre will both know. There is a good chance that they might be in there now, or will be on their way. What do you want me to do?” Because he would truly do anything for her in that moment, even if it meant sending home his family who just wanted to check and make sure he was ok.

“If they come while I am asleep, let them know I’m fine and send them on their way. If I’m awake, we’ll speak. “ And she turned around and left him in car, marching to his front door like it was her with his shirt swaying dangerously high on her thigh. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I'm not very good with describing action scenes yet. I'll work on it. 
> 
> Like/comment/leave kudos for your thoughts!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the wait! I was away on my honeymoon and it made it hard to write! I hope you guys enjoy this one.

Nesta walked in, slowly looking around, taking in the foyer. Everything was in warm colors, easy on her eyes, and bigger than she expected. It was a townhouse, that was deceptively small looking from the front. She walked past a sitting room that looked like no one ever entered straight to the back where she heard voices.

A group of men stood in the kitchen, each with a beer in hand talking. They all stopped the second she walked in to the room, with one whose jaw fell open. 

A young looking man, the one whose jaw had fallen open, stepped up, with something in his hand. Clearing his throat, “Miss Archeron. This is your phone and your bag. I checked it to make sure there was no bugs in it. So you’re in the clear.” She nodded, giving nothing away with her expression besides in difference.

Another one stepped forward, “We’re happy that we were able to get there before you were...physically unharmed. If you need any of our help, we would gladly drop everything to assist.” She wasn’t sure if it was the night or the way the man spoke with such earnest that took her back, unable to respond.

“Nes, come on, I’ll show you your room.” Cassian came up behind her and if she wasn’t so exhausted she would have jumped at the sudden sound. Narrowing her eyes at each man, she turned and stalked after Cassian.

“I didn’t have enough room to move your entire closet here, so you may be missing a few things. If you write it down, I’ll be sure to send someone over there and get it for you.” 

Nesta gave a short, curt nod and stepped into the room. It was almost twice the size of her bedroom at the apartment. A queen sized bed was tucked into the wall in the back and had a plush navy colored duvet that looked like the clouds at night. The walls were painted in a soft, mute gray. There was a large dressed and enormous body length mirror in a dark chestnut wood. But the windows in the room was what did it for her. The windows were the entire wall, floor to ceiling, giving her a perfect view of the dark forest that she didn’t know was to the back of the house. It was beautiful, calming. She could see herself reading there, alone. Turning on the balls of her feet she saw the closet. Moving over she also saw that while the room was beautiful, probably a room she would make for herself, the closet was a walk in but significantly smaller than she was used to. But she could deal with that, for the time being, maybe a lot longer if she had this kind of view every morning.

“Oh, and this door leads to your own bathroom. So you don’t have to worry about sharing.” Cassian voice was steady, but Nesta could tell with the way he held himself that he was nervous. 

“Will there be an actual concern for me to be sharing a bathroom with an unknown?” 

“Well, no. I just...wanted to you feel as comfortable as possible. If the color doesn’t suit you I can have someone come in tomorrow and repaint it.” He was really rambling now. Nesta quirked her head, like a hawk surveying new prey, even though she found the rambling, nervousness, and fidgeting quiet… endearing. As soon as that realization flew into her head she was quickly tampering it down. No way would she be thinking of the man in front of her in any other way but arrogant, annoying, brutish, loud. Obnoxious.

“Well, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get cleaned up and sleep a bit.”

Nodding, Cassian left, clearly too nervous to be in a room with her right now. But then she noticed what he was standing in front of. A bookcase. Her bookcase, the one he had moved to block her way a few mornings ago. The one that held all of her favorite books- all of which were on the bookcase as well. 

How he knew that this held her most important books, she didn’t know. Even more, how he knew that this entire room would suit her taste was even more curious. All of this, this feeling like he  _ knew  _ her, like he  _ understood _ bits of her. That was had successfully observed her and noted what she liked and disliked, well that unnerved her. She knew she was hard to get a read on, and she liked that. But now, she felt like Cassian was seeing a side she didn’t intend for him to, and she wasn’t even sure how it happened.

* * *

Cassian went downstairs, passed his men and grabbed a bottle of brandy. Why in god’s name was he so nervous? Why was he fidgeting like a fool in the room like that? Why did he mind keep reverting back to what she would look like laid out in that fucking bed?

“You alright there Cass?” Raynard came up alongside him, grabbing the bottle and pouring himself a healthy cup before setting it down on the table.

“It was a rough one. I know we’re good. That’s why I hired and pay you all a fuck ton of money, but shit.” Cassian ran a hand up and down his face, rubbing his eyes for good measure. “I don’t know if I have ever been that worried about someone before.”

“Well, maybe because this is the first time you’re emotionally invested in the mission.” Teek spoke up, a small smile playing on his mouth, like he was trying and failing to keep from laughing.

“Emotionally invested? I’m always invested in our clients safety.”

Aidan scoffed next to Teek. “There is not a single person in this universe who believes that you think of Nesta as just a client.” Shrugging a taking a sip of beer, “Look, in all fairness, we all thought you had her. The way you two were dancing I thought we’d find you two in some dark hallway by the end of the night.”

“We just danced. I don’t think it was even that long. And-”

“An hour and a half.” Raynard cut in. “Don’t believe me? It’s fine we have time stamped videos.”

“You took videos?” Cassian didn’t even bother to hide the annoyance in his voice. Why did they think that was necessary?

“Hell yeah man. How else would you believe us? Plus, never, in the history of the world has a girl kept your utterly undivided attention like that. Mark or not.” Teek teased, and Cassian prayed to any god that was willing to listen that Nesta was not able to hear a single word of this conversation, for she might castrate him in the middle of the night.

“Videos.” Opening his hand waiting for whoever currently had them. When two different phone flopped into his hands he rolled his eyes slightly.   

Picking up one, he scrolled, stopping and clicking on the first one he saw. He watched the video of Nesta and himself dancing closely, facing each other, moving together with their own beat, rather than the one blaring out of the speakers. He noticed that his eyes and his hands never once left Nesta.

Scrolling through the next phone he picked a video with both of them dancing. Pressing play, he watched as Nesta and him danced, noticing the time stamp was 35 minutes after the first one he watched. He tried to calmly watch as they danced like they were the only two people there rather than two people in a mass of hundreds. Then Nesta spoke around, and she was smiling. Not an open mouth with teeth, but a smirk that made her look happy, content, relaxed even. Content with him, with  _ his _ hands on her body. With  _ Cassian _ pressed against her. And then as he watched himself bend down grazing his nose against her throat, and her angeling her head to give him more access, he was transported back into that moment, that feeling, and the thought that he could do this forever if she let him.

A cough brought his mind back into the room.  He looked at the men before him, each having their own smile on their faces. He grunted and took both phones, sent each and every video that was in them, sent them to himself and then deleted all the possible evidence on the phones.

“Ugh, you are no fun. We barely got to torment you about this.”

“Whatever Teek. It’s late. Get out, I’ll talk to you all when I wake up and make sure Nesta is ok.” 

“Fine. But we need to talk about the guys we have locked up. And there is some work that I need your help on, since only you can do it.”

“Tomorrow Raynard. Or whenever I wake up. I’ll shoot you a message and we can discuss it.” Leading the men out, he gave them one final wave and locked the door. He went to the wooden wall, pushing it in, and enabled all the security, back up security and put the reserve generators on watch. He would be damned if someone tried to get Nesta in his house. Not now. Not ever.

* * *

 Nesta woke up to the sun gleaming into her face. Groaning slightly, she stood up and stretched her body out. She must’ve gotten more than her usual 4 hours of sleep last night, which was surprising after the night that she had. Taking in her surroundings she panicked for a moment, and then remembered she was in fact at Cassian’s fortress. 

Rolling her eyes she saw that it was almost 11 am, the latest she had ever remembered slept in the past 5 years. Moving to the bathroom she started to get ready, well as best she could when she had no idea what the rest of the day would bring., because her routine was thrown off.

Showering, finding a pair of jeans and a tank top to put on, and leaving her hair brushed and down she left her room, book her favorite book in hand, to find food. 

Moving quietly through the house she heard voices echoing from somewhere. It sounded like two people arguing, a man and a woman. The man was Cassian, she could tell even in the hushed echoing tone. But the woman, it sounded familiar but she couldn’t place it. Going down the stairs she turned and followed the voices into the kitchen.

“She isn’t worth you getting hurt. You practically ran into a burning building for her!” A blonde woman who Nesta knew, but her mind was too groggy to place her. 

“You’re not being careful. That stupid witch has got you under some kind of spell, this isn’t you Cass. And you’re letting her stay here? In your house? You barely let any of us come over! And you just gave her a room! To Live here!” The blonde woman was flailing her arms around, visibly angry. Nesta took a moment to look the woman over, while she was still unseen.

The blonde was beautiful, lean, tall. She had curves that would make men follow her around a room. She had an ethereal grace to her. There was an openness about her, where you could read her emotions on her face- like she was unafraid to let people see that deep. 

“Mor, stop it. Thank you for coming to check in on me even though I asked all of you not to come over. First off, I screwed up. I almost let someone hurt her. When  _ I promised to keep her safe.  _ So please save that part of your unwelcomed speech about jumping into burning buildings to protect someone who needed me. Second, where do you actually get off? Someone took her and in the time it took to find her and get her back- someone already went through her apartment. It wasn’t safe. She is safest here. Where I can make sure no one has a chance to come after her again.” Nesta heard the conviction and the anger in his voice. She didn’t understand why he thought it was his fault someone took her, when she was in the bathroom no less. What, did he think he was now going to follow her around, to the bathroom even? Nonsense.

“She’s upstairs, hopefully still sleeping and hasn’t heard your nonsense. She’s had a long, probably scary night. I don’t want her any more uncomfortable then she probably already is. So, please leave.” Nesta’s eyes darted back from Cassian’s back to the blonde, who looked as though to be in utter outrage.

“You’re asking me to leave?” 

“I actually asked you not to come. So yes, now that you are here I am asking you to leave. I have things I need to get done, and Nesta’s safety to ensure. And right now, you may very well be jeopardizing it.’’ Then Cassian took a deep breathe, running his fingers through his hair. “Isn’t she your lawyer or something? How can you hate her that much and still employee her?”

Ah, now she knew. Mor was the fashion firm that keeps her on retainer, for when they need someone to come in for bigger deals and contracts. She knew that Mor had a distaste for her, because she was so close to Feyre, but was appalled at the outright hate she was being shown. Maybe she’d be forced to give her up as a client. 

But before Mor answered she saw Nesta in the threshold. Grabbing her bag she marched in front of Nesta.

“He has enough shit on his plate, thanks to your sorry ass. So keep your damned forked tongue in your mouth and show a little appreciation for once in your pathetic life.” Nesta looked Mor up and down slowly, which just seemed to agitate the blonde further.

“Always a pleasure Mor.” Nesta deadpanned. Mor shook her head, muttering something unintelligible under her breathe and walked out. 

Nesta looked at Cassian, who in turn looked at her while also looking like he wanted the earth to swallow him whole where he stood. 

“How much of that did you hear?” Nesta moved around him to find coffee.

“Where do you keep the caffeine?” Nesta countered. 

Cassian moved and opened an enormous cabinet that revealed an espresso machine that looked like it belonged in starbucks, with a coffee bean grinder next to it. 

“This is your coffee machine?” It was absolutely ludacris.  _ No one needed this kind of contraption in their home.  _

“Are you going to keep asking questions to avoid telling me how much of that argument?” 

“I heard enough. Did your team happen to bring my laptop? Or was it destroyed when someone apparently ransacked my apartment? Which thanks for telling me by the way.” Irration was all over Nesta’s tone, frankly she felt like she was currently scolding a child, holding a toy that they shouldn’t have gotten a hold of.

Sighing, Cassian put a freshly made cappuccino in front of her, went into a side room and came back with her laptop. 

“We checked it for any type of bugs that may have been planted.” Putting his hands on the island countertop across from Nesta, who was now taking in the sight before her silently. 

Cassian was shirtless, with sweatpants that were hung low on his hips, revealing a deep adonis belt and a trail of hair that went well below the waistband. He had a strange pattern of swirls and whirls that went from his chest, where his heart was, around his shoulder and disappeared onto his back. His deep tan was a little off, indicating that he did in fact where a shirt when he went outside. Drawing her eyes up his body past his chiseled jaw, high cheekbones with day old scruff, she reached his eyes. Which although visibly tired, a bit bloodshot, entranced her for a moment. Deep hazel that should have been ordinary, but were not. They were.. _ beautiful.  _ Rubbing her eyes a bit and looking back to her laptop and began typing.

“I was going to tell you about the apartment. I just was reading the report so I could tell you about it before I was interrupted and yelled at.” Noticing her furrowed brows and fingers flying around the computer, “Who are you emailing so early on a sunday morning?”

“My bosses, to relocate Mor’s company to another attorney.” Rolling her eyes because, did he not see how she was treated? The unabashed hate the Mor threw toward her? 

“ What?! Why?! She hired you! Can you just...do that?” He was looking at her like she had done something to personally attack him. Clearly the two were much closer that she had originally thought.

“To work with someone who has such a dislike toward me is bad business. If there were to be a lawsuit, and her blatant dislike for me shines through when we have to work close to resolve it, she would certainly make it difficult. Which would jeopardize the suit.she warranted, she could take it out on me in a number of ways. And then turn around my known coldness and have me take blame somehow. Not a chance I will take.” How was she only  _ now _ just seeing how much Mor had disliked her? She remembers that she was personally requested, but why? 

Looking over her laptop to Cassian, “It is the smart thing to do.” Sending the email to the partners, lining in not so many words at the fact that Mor disliked her so much that should they ever need her services she was unsure that she would appropriately be able to help. It was an unusual request, but given the circumstances, the right one and she knew it.

“Now, what information are you going to tell me about my kidnapping and who did it.”

* * *

 

This conversation was turning out to be much more difficult than Cassian had anticipated. He had barely read through the reports his team had worked overnight on, detailing every miniscule thing from her apartment, to a catalog of what was found in the warehouse.

“I have the report, you can read it once I’ve gone over them.” She scowled, but nodded in agreement. “I have to go to the interrogation in 2 hours, so Teek is going to come over and hang around here for some added security.”

“Interrogation?” Nesta looked at him, expecting him to elaborate.  _ Fuck it, she deserves to know everything that’s going on. _

_ “ _ Yes, we have 3 of their men. They’re waiting on me to start the interrogation.” He was moving around the kitchen to make some eggs and bacon. 

“And you thought I was going to let you  _ leave _ me here?” Her voice sounded much to close to be still sitting at the island.

Turning around to face her, she was much closer than he had anticipated. “Yes. I thought you had better things to do than to be traumatized again by what we have to do to get information.”

He watched as her face went from a scowl to full fury. “ You think I can’t handle it?”

No. Yes. Maybe. It wasn’t that he thought she couldn’t handle what happened. But Cassian became another person when he had to go into interrogations. The methods were not always…. Kosher.  _ I don’t know what I’ll do when they start talking about you _ , the thought was fleetings, but it rang true in his heart. 

He had failed her once, and he didn’t plan on doing so again.

“It’s not that I don’t think you can handle it, it’s just….” Pausing to give himself at least a moment to find the words that wouldn’t make her slice him. But honesty, she deserved to know the real reason why. “I just dislike who I have to become during it. I’m unkind, would be a nice way of putting it.”

The light in her eyes went feral. “I deserve to know why and who is doing this to me. I will come with you and listening to everything they have to say.” Grabbing her laptop and walking away, she turned to him, as he hadn’t moved an inch. “I think you think I hold you too highly. You’re not on a pedestal, I would not put you there. Also, I don’t care who you have to become to get the information we need. Hurry up on whatever you need to do. We have an interrogation to get to.” And she left. He knew his face showed surprise, but something in him was excited by the words.

* * *

 

Walking down the halls towards the interrogation room, Nesta catalogued everything she could see. Dark walls, white tiles, fluorescent lighting. It looked like a picture straight out of a movie. 

The walking next to Cassian, Nesta kept sneaking glances to him. His posture was rigid, he kept fisting and unfisting his hands as he walked. Jaw kept feathering tight. It was a strange sight, for her to see him like this. He had not made a single barking remark, not a joke, not a smile on the way to this building outside just outside the city.

They stopped in front of a door, one that was metal and went from floor to ceiling. Cassian stopped and punched a series of numbers into the keypad that made the door pop open. Pushing it wide open, Cassian gestured for Nesta to enter, and followed her in, closing the door behind him. 

“Hey,” a hand came up behind her, touching her shoulder. “Sit down. I’ll explain how we do this.” Taking a deep breathe. “You’ll be behind the glass, so he won’t know you’re there but you will be able to see everything going on. Listen closely to everything he says, any detail that might give him away. If you think of something, tap the window 3 times fast.” 

The door open and 2 men unfamiliar to Nesta and two that did walked through the door. “We are ready to begin.” 

Cassian got up, turning to Nesta once more, looking her up and down to make sure that she was well and truly ok, like walking here had somehow caused her injury. “Get out.” With a wave of her hand she swirled her chair to face the one way mirror. 

“Teek and Raynard will stay with you and get you anything you need.” And with that he left Nesta with the two men who had helped in her rescue.

“Miss.” The older one said with a nod.

“Nesta will do.” 

“Cassian told us we were to give you this briefing, in order to prepare you for what will happen.” The older one…. Raynard she remembered his name to be. “We have 4 of them in custody, and luckily one of them appears to be a man of some sort of authority.”

“What makes you so sure he’s an authority figure? Did he just up and say ‘I’m the boss’ and you lot just went with it?” Raynard was being kind, but Nesta couldn’t help the ice that came through in her voice with the question. 

“No. that would be very amatuer of us, which none of us are. Besides finding him where we did, in the control tower, barking orders, we’ve been watching them. All the men in the room have been deferring to them.”

“You kept them together? Isn’t isolation war torture one oh one?” Furrowing her eyebrows as she listened and scanned through the files that were handed to her.

“Yes and no. For this purpose we needed to annoy them. If you look at page 12, you’ll see pictures. We gave them a room, slightly too small for 4 people, especially for their size. We took away light, and forced them to listen to white noise for the past 6 hours, and no food either. Not an ideal amount of time, but one of them cracked once we pulled him out for beating another.”

“I see.” The methods was harsh, mean even. But she stopped when she saw the man who was about the be brought into the interrogation room. It was the one that had taunted her. Suddenly she felt no remorse, past and potential left her. She was going to looked forward to this.

* * *

 

They had roughed him up, just enough to cause pain but not enough to cause good pain. Then they brought him to Cassian so he could play the good cop. That had been 3 hours ago. And Nesta had seen every single moment of it. But not once had she tapped onto the glass, but she was constantly at the back of his mind, worried at what she would think of this, of him. 

Casting the thought out of his mind he focused on the man in front of him, the one who has hovering over Nesta’s near naked form when he found her. After the 5th round of waterboarding he decided it was time for questions.

“Why did you take Nesta, what is so special about her?” He asked the man chained up. Cassian refused to call the man his name, trying to take away any form of identity from him.

“Why take bitter thing like that? Because first she’s sour then she’ll be the best fuck, all the ones that put up a fight are.” Cassian’s blood went cold. The growl that came out was inhuman. 

“Ah, I see. She’s your little thing. Interesting, the man said I could have a go with her when he was finished.” Ah, there it was. Something new. 

“He had his eye on her huh? What kind of sick pervert needs to hire people to kidnap her instead of just asking her out?” He got up and started slowly pacing, needing to move his body. His mind was reeling slightly. The need to pound the stupid fucker in with his fists until he died was coursing through his veins like white fire. He was dangerously close to losing control when a fast 3 taps made him turn. Scowling he left the room with a nod to continue the torture. 

Making a sharp turn he barged into the room, fuming that he was interrupted. 

“What. Do. You. Want.” He was looking at Teek and Raynard. 

“I want to speak with him.” Nesta’s voice was strong, assured, and he was absolutely not going to let that happen. 

“Last I checked, you did not tell me what to do.” Nesta went to walk around him but he stepped in her way, effectively blocking the door. 

“Nes,” SHe wanted to go in there, with  _ him _ ?  _ She’s got to be out of her gods damned mind if she thinks that’s going to happen. _

“I will not repeat myself again. Move.” Cassian looked at her, while she looked at him. He looked at her in all her glory. Hair down, black tank top, tight jeans, black boots, the fighting stance like she would most certainly take him down if he got in her way again. And her eyes, the hard cold glare of the steel gray-blue, but... there was something beyond it. He could see the wash of emotions that were playing behind the glare, there were eyes that were begging to let her face him. That she  _ needed _ to face him.

“Fine, but there will be ground rules.” Was he really doing this? “You can’t touch him. You can’t get too physically close to him.”

“That’s it?” 

Sighing and opening the door, “Yes. Verbally, anything goes.” ANd he followed her out, still questioning if this was the best thing for her. How did he just give her everything she wanted? 

Walking to the room behind her, Cassian noted the stiffness in her back, how she looked like she was forcing herself to keep composure, rather than let it be the usual effortlessness he was accustomed to seeing. Sitting down next to her, he watched as she opened a folder, looking at it as his men forced the prisoner into the seat across from them.

“Tim.. Tim Falsteder right?” Nesta looked up, glaring at him with a look Cassian knew he would never ever want to be on the receiving end of.

“Aye, that’s my name little bird.” 

“What do you want with me?” She leaned back, exuding the look of ease when Cassian knew she felt the exact opposite inside- he could feel it.

“I want a go with you. You looked rather pleasant in those unders you was wearing.”

“Was it promised to you that you’d have… a turn with me?” Cassian watched the prick, Tim, look Nesta up and down. The feeling of protectiveness he had never experienced before spiked through him. All of him wanted to shield Nesta from prying eyes, to give her the privacy she clearly wished for.

“Eh, not so much. Mandray said if I got the job done early I might be able to get a taste.” Mandray. He knew that name. Why did he know that name? He watched closely as Nesta’s body recoiled every so slightly, that she held her breath for a moment, and her hand trembled on the paper.

A sly, vicious smile crossed her face. She got up and moved around toward him, swaying her hips just a little bit, causing Cassian to look at her ass rather than the interaction going on. 

“Did he tell you why, little bird?” 

The man, slightly mezmorized shook his head no.

“Why wasn’t he there when you grabbed me?” She was next to him now, closer than Cassian would ever allow. But the man’s hands were tied, and he couldn’t run and it was too late to pull Nesta back. _ Damn her and fucking hips _ .

“He had a meeting in the steeps.”

Nesta walked around the back of his chair, and put a hand on shoulder, glaring at the guards not to move.  _ What did she have planned? _

It was like she cast a spell over the room of men. Pushing to stand Tim up, she gave Cassian once last steely glare that told him she was fine and not to move.  _ Like hell. He even thinks about flinching I’ll snap his wormy neck. _

“Why was he in the steeps?” Turning to face him head on.

“Some honchos that he’s working with live up their. Leaders of something. OOF!” And he was suddenly on the ground in pain.

Cassian blinked and the prisoner had fallen to his knees, holding his balls, struggling to breathing. ANd Nesta was walking out the door, hair flowing behind her.  _ What the fuck just happened? _

* * *

 

Nesta was struggling to breathe. Tomas had sent them. In what fucking world did Tomas Mandray with  _ her. _ She saw him on the rare occasion when he attended his teams court dates.

“Nes.” A familiar male voice was behind her. She was at the other end of the hallway, Cassian must had followed as soon as he realized what she had done. She wouldn’t apologize for kneeing the disgusting pig in the balls, and something told her that Cassian was rather happy about the outcome. Her methods were unconventional, and made her feel a bit uncomfortable but she got what she needed, and she was never doing that again.

“What did he mean by Mandray?”

Clearing her voice, but still not facing him “Tomas Mandray. He works for Hybern.” Closing her eyes to take a deep breath and continue. “He said he was in the steeps. That has to be the Illyrian Steeps.”

She turned slowly to face Cassian, because she wasn’t going to let this knowledge scare her. And she was most certainly not going to let Cassian see how that kind of news frightened her.

Cassian was looking at her, lips thinned, concern written in his eyes.  _ I do not want you pity, prick. _ “Let’s go. I will fill you in on what needs to be known.” She tried to move past him when he grabbed her arm, and leaned down to her ear.

“Remind me to mind my balls the next time you think about killing me.” His tone had a light amusement, his hand had gravitated to her waist, she felt his breath on her neck. Despite everything going on, the fear that she was just experiencing, something rolled pleasantly in the pit of her stomach.  _ Why does he make me feel like this? What is the feeling? _ The answers escaped her. 

A cough snapped her out of her mind and she realized that she was staring at Cassian. Staring at him being dangerously close, their bodies facing each other, facing close together. Narrowing her eyes at him, like he did something wrong, she walked away from him and into the room.

She walked to the back of the room, standing at attention. She looked at all the men waiting for her to speak.

“Tomas Mandray, is a vile, pathetic excuse for a man. He is on the main attorney on Hyberns team.” 

“So, you think he hired them for Hybern?”

_ It will be fine. Give them enough to work with. _ ”No, we hate each other on a personal level. I’ve embarrassed him numerous times, on numerous platforms. He wins every case except when he goes against me. “  _ And he was my ex-boyfriend, the man I lost my virginity too, who then cheated on me, and beat me up when I broke up with him.  _ “I know seeing how much better I am that the job kills him inside.” 

“And the steeps? You think he’s meeting with people?”

“Probably the ex-husbands or families of the women I’ve been helping.”  _ But what did he have to gain from those mongrels?  _

“Alright. Boys find out everything we can about Mandray. I want to know every little tiny speck of him. This has been a plan that’s been in the making. Hack everything.” The words made her blood run cold. There was a file about what had happened and of the suit she opted to settle it out of court. It was a piece of her past that only Emerie knew about, by chance because she was the one that had found her.

A knock startled them all. A young man, Teek she remembered, had walked into the room, trying to stifle a laugh. 

“What are you laughing at?” Another young man, Aidan she thought his name was.

“Cass, you know a girl named…. Haley?” Cassian shrugged in response to indicate he didn;t.

“Well she knows you man.” Looking at his phone “She’s kinda hot. Dark brown hair, nice size knockers, brown eyes, shortish? Nothing?” Taking a breath to calm the bubbling laughter. “Well she knows you. Apparently ya’ll dated or something. She’s at your place, screaming at the gates to be let in and you owe her an explanation on why you were cheating on her? Her friends saw you in the club dance with Nesta.” Teek’s shoulders were shaking from laughter. “You picked a crazy one. Timber says you have to come home and deal with it. She tried to scale the gate her heels.” Now Aidan and Raynard plus the men in the room she didn’t know were laughing so hard some were doubled over. Nesta looked around because she didn’t get the joke.

“Stop it guys! It’s not funny.” Cassian groaned and then looked at Nesta.

“I didn’t cheat on her. Hell, I didn’t even sleep with her. We went on 1 date Nes.”

“So how did she get dickmatized than Cass?” Aidan spoke up, being the first to calm down.

“None of your damned business. Come on Nes, let’s go- we have to get a working theory with all this to make a good strategy.” Nesta eyed all the men who were making an effort to contain themselves. She walked out the door, with Cassian following her on her heels

“This is why you should date women who are less vain, Cassian.” She spoke to him, but never stopped and faced him.

“Hey, I’m sure she has more than vanity going for her, but I have no idea what it is alright. I just can’t remember who she is.” Rolling her eyes,  _ and this is why I’m careful about men.  _ Who was she kidding with that statement. She hadn’t let a man into her life since she was 21.

* * *

 

Cassian drove on the highway humming songs to the radio. Nesta kept glancing at him through her peripheral vision. She would by a liar if she tried to say he wasn’t attractive. He had a rough rugged handsomeness to him, a scar on his upper lip that was beyond attractive. He was tall, intimidatingly so. He had luscious hair that she caught herself wanting to run her fingers through. 

“See something you like sweetheart?” 

Making a sound of disgust “No, just trying to figure out why a woman would fall all over herself, embarrass herself for you.” 

Chuckling, “Don’t pretend like you’ve never thought what it would be like to run your fingers through my hair, or kiss the scar on my lip, or have me pick you up, press you against a wall and kiss down that delicate neck of yours.” 

Nesta turned to look at him fully,  _ how did he know all of that? _

“You can’t hide from me sweetheart, I see you, all of you.” He looked at her, into her eyes like she was the only thing that mattered in the world.

“Eyes on the road.”

Another 10 minutes and they were pulling on to his road. 

“If she’s here, please stay in the car. It will only provoke her.” And sure enough as Cassian spoke the words a soda flew onto the windshield and he slammed on the breaks. Nesta looked out the window as Cassian whispered curses under his breath.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think so far? Now that I have some idea of the villians where do you think it will go?


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New Chapter!! It's been a busy month, and writing this chapter was probably that hardest one yet for me. Still trying to figure out what the end game should be. 
> 
> Also, follow me on tumblr at bac1007! Send in writing prompts ect. 
> 
> I really hope you like this chapter!

Cassian slammed on the breaks and shot his arm out to help stop Nesta, should she somehow fly forward. He tried to calm his breathing as he looked at this windshield that was now covered in some orange juice. Peaking over at Nesta, he saw that she wore the same shocked looked that he knew was echoed on his own face. He threw on the windshield wipers to clear up the liquid to see a short, tan blonde holding a 7/11 cup in her hand looking like she was going to scream.

_ She threw a fucking 7/11 slurpee at my car?  _ Taking a sigh to calm himself for the argument he was about to have with a woman he knew he had be explicit in his intentions with.  _ I really need to start being more selective with women, and get background checks done before I sleep with them.  _ Opening the car door and shaking his head, he turned to Nesta “Please just, stay here. The last thing I need is for her to go crazy on you as well.” He took one last look at Nesta to try and show her he meant business and she returned his look with a raised eyebrow before turning to look through the windshield.

Trudging to the front of the car he saw the small, blonde woman with her arms crossed over her chest and giving him a death glare and resisted the urge to roll his eyes.  _ Maybe I could ask Nesta to help with that glare. It’s not very menacing.  _

He kept walking until he was practically towering over her, he took a step back when he saw her eyes widen slightly in fear,  _ yes be scared because I’m visibly angry that you threw something at my moving car.  _ Stealing his anger he took what he thought was the thousandth sigh of the hour before opening his mouth. 

“Hey, uhm what exactly do you think you’re doing?” He tried not to look frustrated, to sound as angry as he felt. Letting out his anger on her would do nobody any good and he knew it.

Suddenly her eyes got misty like she was about to cry.  _ You have got to be fucking kidding me. _ “Why didn’t you call?” Her tone was accusing with her eyes getting misty like she was on the verge of tears. Cassian pushed the heels of his hands into his eyes for a moment.

“I waited for you to contact me. And then I called you and some woman answered the phone and told me you were busy! And then I waited some more and texted you and you never responded.” She was near hysteric now. Cassian stared at her, trying again to remember her name but the annoyance he felt pushed him beyond caring about her feelings anymore. 

“What did I say when we met? And on both dates?” He raised his voice, but kept himself from roaring at her, which with the level of anger he was feeling was a feat and frankly he was proud of himself.  _ Why is it when I speak, they never listen, or pretend it will be different with them? _

“I know you said you didn’t want a relationship. And that it most likely wouldn’t make it past the third date.” She was whining like a five year old now.  _ How did i think that this would be attractive...ever? _ Opening his mouth to speak he was cut off  by her wailing “Yes, yes I heard. But that was BEFORE we slept together.” 

The more this girl spoke the the more his anger built and after the few days he had he wasn’t sure he could get any angrier.  _ What was the point of explaining to women that he wouldn’t suddenly marry them after sex. “ _ Look, Jaime-” his right cheek suddenly stung, having officially been slapped.

“What the hell was that for?!” His leash snapped and he roared at her.

“My name is HALEY!” The small blonde screamed at him.  _ What the fuck? She slapped me because I got her name wrong?   _

Cassian went to open his mouth and yell back - 

“You will lower your voice like a human, now.” A familiar, steely feminine voice spoke up from behind him. “And you will explain right now why you just assaulted him.” 

Nesta came up alongside him, arms crossing over her chest. The blonde, Haley, suddenly looked taken back and a little frightened. The glare Nesta was currently giving was one of a vicious predator, and Cassian was thankful he was not on the receiving end, he almost felt bad for the girl who was,  _ almost _ but not quiet.

“Now. Speak.”  _ Yes, this will be interesting.  _

A tiny tear slipped down Haley’s face as she looked pleading at Nesta, who wore a stone cold mask of indifference. 

“He made me think there was something there and then he never called. Your a woman, you understand how manipulative they can be to get you into bed.” Tears were beginning to freely fall from her eyes, trying to appeal to Nesta as a woman. Cassian looked over to Nesta, whose face never changed. Apparently feeling his eyes on her, she turned her head she looked at Cassian up and down slowly, then back to Haley.

Feeling like now was the only chance to say his piece he spoke quickly “Sweetheart, that is not what happened in the slightest. I told her-”

“YOU CALL HER SWEETHEART. YOU TOLD ME YOU DON’T DO PET NAMES YOU ASSHOLE!” Screaming at him, Haley was red in the face, looking slightly like a maniac. She moved her arms for another swing, put a small hand swiftly grabbed her wrist in a death grip.

“Let’s have a chat. The first thing that will not be happening is you will never raise your hand to him ever again. If you do I will slap with you assault, one for him, and assault with a non deadly weapon, for the cup you threw at our car while we were driving- obscuring our view. As well as attempted murder because we could have died should he not have had such a quick reaction, it will be a stretch of a charge but I am very good at getting juries to do as I want/. Next, “ Cassian watched Nesta- gaping at her in disbelief. Was she really defending him without having to listen to his side?  “You say you slept with him? After 2 dates? Even though he told you many times that it would not equate to a developing relationship?” Cassian turned his head slightly so he could watch Haley in his peripheral vision. 

“Are you shaming me because I slept with him too fast?”Haley’s eyes narrowing at Nesta as she took a step forward. Cassian kept his eyes on Nesta, but his body angled his body to block a potential threat should she chose to act rash.

“No. I would like to know why you thought sex would change his perspective, or his mind for that matter. Surely you cannot be that foolish to think that sex would be a good manipulation tool. This is not the 1500s.” There was a level of disdain in Nesta’s voice as she spoke the accusation, and Cassian made a mental note to think about the depth of that further….later.

“It was not a manipulation tool! I thought he cared about me!”

“Stop. Do not say another word. You thought that if you had what? Mind blowing sex he would change his mind on the relationship that was more than just physical?” Cassian was looking back and forth between the two women, and could see when Hayley faltered at the words that Nesta threw at her.

“Leave. And do not come back. Do not contact him unless he’s stupid enough to call you again, or I will also filing a stalking charge on top of the others. And take some time to look at yourself, this is embarrassing. Have all the sex you want- but do not think it means an automatic relationship.” Nesta leveled a glare and Hayley ran away to her car down the block. Cassian stood next to her and waited until he could no longer see the taillights of the car the blonde got into.

“It would help if you could remember the name of the women you sleep with and that you checked to make sure they aren’t crazy.” Nesta walked away and back into the car while Cassian stood for a moment before swiftly moving to the car.

Driving into the driveway and into the garage, a thought nagged him and he knew if he didn’t speak his piece now he would never get a chance too. Turning the car off but locking the door to the car so Nesta would be forced to listen to him, “I don’t sleep around like that. Yes, I have sex with women, but it is always started by them. I always have the ‘do not want a relationship and sex is not going to change that’ conversation. I don’t lead anyone on, so it is a mystery why this keeps happening.” Cassian took a calming breath after saying his piece and unlocked the doors to the car.

“Cassian, either you have a dick made of gold or you’re doing something wrong. My bet is on the second one.” Nesta opened the door and walked into the house.

_ I like to think it’s my dick of gold sweetheart. _

 

* * *

 

Nesta never wanted to leave this shower, or this bathroom. The shower head had a four point spray that was effectively massaging every knot she felt on her body. It was potentially the most luxurious bathroom she would ever be in. Not that she would ever tell anyone that. But the shower, the big bath, the clear glass- the entire room looked like it was plucked from  **_Archangel’s Blood_ ** and she loved every moment of it. 

Stepping out into the bedroom and changing into a nightgown- her stomach grumbled at her. Looking at the clock told her it was 12:45 in the morning and she didn’t remember when the last time she ate was. 

Nesta opened the door and looked both ways down the hallway, the last thing she wanted was to see Cassian right now, she was tired and hungry and the last thing she wanted or needed was to deal with his oversized self invading her personal space trying to figure her out.

With feet quiet as a feather Nesta moved down the hall the stairs and moved to the kitchen. She listened for motion but heard none, thanking the angels above that there was no one there and she could find food and eat peacefully for once. But really, she just didn’t want to deal with Cassian. He watched her like a hawk, and Nesta saw it. And she hated it. She hated that when they looked each other, her challenging and him assessing- which always left her feeling raw and she detested the feeling. It was something that he alone made her feel, and she had no idea how- but she would get to the bottom of it and stop the feelings as soon as she found the time to. 

Moving stealthily down the short dark hallway, Nesta came into the big kitchen, relief rolling through her that it was in fact dark and empty like she had hoped. Turning on a light and diming it so she could see just enough to move about she looked for some food, simple and easy that would require no cooking at all. 

Yes, she saw a granny smith apples and bananas in a bowl in the center of the island. Thanking the heavens that Cassian had some sense and clearly preferred the granny smith over all others, she grabbed one of each and searched for a plate and utentsils. 

Queietly opening and closing 2 cabinets that were filled with glasses, she finally stumbled upon the plates, but on the second shelf.  _ Of course the oaf would put the necessities out of reach.  _ Sighing as she tried to reach the plates, stretching on her her tip toes, a large and familiar hand reached over her and grabbed the plate. Resisting the urge to screech at the sudden appearance, anger and frustration flowed through her.  _ Can I not have a single fucking moment to myself where this enormous brute is not there to try and help me? I didn’t need his help before and I sure as hell don’t need it now.  _

The more she thought about how Cassian was somehow always  _ there _ whether she actually had need of him or not sent a fire through her like she had never experienced before. 

“I did not need your help.” She threw as much anger as she could into her voce, trying to give it an outlet. Still facing the cabinets Nesta could feel Cassian behind her, she could feel the warmeth of his body and it wasn’t until that moment that she realized just how cold she was. 

“Looks to me like you did.” He purred quietly, she could feel his lips touching her ear. 

She watched as he delicately put the plate down, not moving his body even an inch from her. The action made her nervous in the not so unpleasant way, one that was completely foriegn to her but somehow felt right and made her pulse race. 

_ No. This is not happening.  _ Straightening her spine and her resolve she turned around to face him.

 

* * *

 

He couldn’t help himself. She was there, in a nightgown he had only dreamed that she owned, in his favorite color. From the back he could see every dip, and when Nesta tried for a second time to reach the plate the nightgown hitched up slightly. Never, in 100 years would he have thought that he would find Nesta, in his dimly lit kitchen, looking like….he wasn’t sure what but it made him twitch with a need he knew he couldn’t act on just yet.

Nseta made a tiny groan trying to reach for the plate that snapped at something in his brain and suddenly they were in very different positions and she was making that same noise a lot louder. Cassian was on her before he realized he moved. Pressing against her slightly, and it was like all the blood rushed to his head, he reached over grabbed the plate and set it down.

When he got close and purred into her ear,  _ I’ve been spending too much time twith Rhys and Feyre dammit.  _ But his lips were so close her ear, her long elegant neck that was currently covered by her hair- that was down and longer than he had expected.

He patiently watched as Nesta took a deep breathe and turned. He refused to move more than a few inches as she turned, as he wasn’t sure he could control himself if he got a full view. He needed some time to brace himself. 

“I am not a damsel in distress. I do not need your help to get on with daily tasks.” Cassian stifled the chuckle that rose in his throat and smirked at her instead. 

_ “ _ Sweetheart, I would refer to you as the damsel in distress. Control freak? Probably?” Cassian pulled back, feeling like he could better control himself now. His eyes went straight to hers, willing himself to not let his eyes wander past her chin. The scathing look Nesta was sending his way helped keep his mind in check, but also amused him. 

Moving towards another cabinet, Cassian pulled out two jars, one peanut butter and one almond butter, and then pulled a draw open and grabbed a knife. He handed the knife to Nesta, putting the jars next to the plate and leaned back against the countertop, watching her intently, even though her back was to him. 

“Is that all you’re going to eat?” Cassian waited until he got answer. It took a few moments for him to realize that he was not going to get a response. 

“You need to eat more than that.” He moved to the massive fridge. Opening it, he pulled out a few more snacks he thought she might like, but realized he never really saw her eating as much as he felt like she should.

“You’ve been dealing with a lot of emotionally hard things this week. It would be best if you didn’t forget to take care of yourself, although it is understanable that certain areas fall to the way side.” He was rambling as he made the meat and cheese plate.

“What are you doing?” The annoyance in Nesta’s voice made him wonder if she knew how to speak without sounding angry.

“That is not enough food. You barely ate all day, so I know you’re starving. You have to be. And I assume you don’t know where anything is, which makes finding food hard.” Why was she making this so hard? An apple and a banana was not enough food. 

“Stop being a mother hen. I’m capable of taking care of myself.” She snatched the plate of food out of his hands and walked away, grabbing a book from her bag on a chair, and sat down on the opposite end of the island- which was as far away from him as she could be in the room. Nesta opened her book and began to eat and read, effectively pretending like he didn’t exist.

The realization that she was going to sit in  _ his  _ kitchen, be mean to  _ him _ , pretend like  _ he  _ had some sort of plaque. It was all too much in that moment, made the anger he always kept on an ever tight leash hang on by a thread.

In 3 strides he was on Nesta, moving her food away from her and grabbed the book she was reading out of her hands. Looking at the page his anger morphed into something else.

“He grabbed Elena, swiping his special dust that he made just for her over her lips.” Chuckling softly, to himself really.  _ Who would have thought that she loved to read smutty novels, especially ones based off of Illiyria. “ _ Raphel and Elena, a favorite couple of yours?” 

Nesta’s cheeks were flushed slightly, like she didn’t think anyone would ever find out the kind of novels that she enjoyed, like it was a secret. A secret that Cassian know was in on.

“I personally am an Illium fan. There’s something about him that makes him feel like a kindered spirit, don’t you think? I mean minus loosing my mortal love because I screwed up and told her forbidden secrets.”

 

* * *

 

This stupid stupid bastard. How did he do this? How did he make her feel. 

At first she felt some level of embarassment at him reading her book, at him  _ mocking _ her. She could see the anger in his eyes, something she had done caused him to be this angry. And then it was gone in a flash, and he was looking at her with amusement in his eyes. It was all too much. It was hot and then hotter, but never cold she noticed, the exact opposite of her. 

Willing herself to a stone mask that she was accustomed too, she glared at him as he spoke. She refused to show the surprise she felt as he began spewing off facts of her favorite book series, ignored the parallels he tried to make to himself and her favorite character. Refused to agree that she saw the parallels he drew.

“I didn’t know you could read.” He was talking, and then suddenly- he wasn’t. Just stared at her,  _ Yes I know, you’re trying to understand me. But I will not be swooned because you can read, and have read this. _ On the inside she jumped for joy at making him speechless, that anger coming forth again.  _ Ah, it appears we do have a temper. _

Grabbing a peace of meat, wrapping it around a cube of cheese she chewed as she looked him up and down, taking in the utter powerful maleness of him. If she weren’t sworn off men for the rest of her life, she might contemplate him more but as it stood- it would forever be a non-event. Even if being close to him flipped some sort of switch in her that she didn’t understand and wasn’t willing to spend a second of time on.

Keeping eye contact with him, she decided to have a little fun. She got up off the chair slowly, and twitched her lips up a bit- giving her best effort to smile even though the motion felt foriegn. 

Cassian tracked every move she made. His eyes shifted slowly from anger to something else. Something more primal. Gathering her nerves, she moved closer, but did so slowly- like in the books she read, hoping that it had the appropriate effect. When she was standing toe to toe with him, she watched as his eyes dipped below her face, then brought them up to rest on her lips- his jaw feathering.

_ I will not back down from this. Two can play this game asshole. _

She brought her hands up his arms, slowly, and she could feel his muscles contracting where she touched him. She continued her exploratory touches up to his shoulders taking a small step forward they were now touching chest to chest. Nesta watched his swallow, his adams apple popping up and down. 

Nesta brought her eyes up to meet his and resolve seemed to snap. Faster than Nesta thought possible she was  suddenly sitting on the island, legs spread with Cassian in between them, his arms on either side of her- with his head, being the only body part touching her, in the crook of her neck taking big breathes. 

_ Ugh this was not how this is supposed to go.  _ But then Cassian’s nose moved slowly up to her ear. At the slow motion gave her shivers down her spine, feeling his breathe just under her ear created gooseflesh on her arms. 

_ Oh,  _ Nesta’s eyes fluttered closed for a moment. Cassian’s lips touched the soft skin under her jaw. A light pressure that made Nesta want him to explore just a little more.  _ Snap out of it, this will never ever turn out good. Flip it. Focus on the tangible. Focus on anything else than his lips. Right. Now. _

Suddnely his tongue swept out of his mouth, but surprisingly his arms never moved. They stayed on either side of her, looking strained, like he wanted to sweep her up in his arms. 

_ Finish it.  _

After a second sweep of his tongue on her throat Nesta kicked her leg hard, knowing she hit her target when he went - OOmmf. 

Pushing him back, Nesta grabbed her book and walked out of the kitchen. Before she fully exited she turned around to find Cassian, red in the face, hands between his legs trying to breathe.

“This isn’t over.” He spoke softly, like one does in pain. 

“Clearly it is.” And she walked away and into her room, locking the door to her room.

30 minutes later Cassian banged on her door- yelling at her that she was going to be working out of the house tomorrow. Arrangements were already made and he’ll see her bright and early. 


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! I am so sorry that it took this long for an update. Thank you for sticking around for this chapter.

The next few days happened in repeated progression. Cassian worked until he felt like his brain would melt, trying to solve the mystery that was Nesta’s stalkers. He knew he was close, that there was something screaming at him in his face but he was missing it. He had stationed one of his younger men to watch over Nesta, letting her work in his office when he saw the look of aw on her face upon entering. It was a fast, fleeting look, one that was there and gone so fast he thought he was imagining it. 

So, he gave the room over to her- vowing to not enter while she was there and particularly never ever be alone with her. The nights where it was just them, a few feet away from each other and only a security team members outside was tempting enough for him. He couldn’t get that night out his head. He woke up  every morning with the taste of her skin on his tongue. Every morning he thought of what it would be like to have her in his bed, getting the chance to taste her how he wished- slow and  

He shouldn’t have pushed her, but that kick in the balls reminded him that she could give as good as she got. That he should never forget that she was a force to be reckoned with herself. And he had to forciblyt keep his distance for a few days so he didn’t do something so stupid again. He had never distrusted himself more around another woman before. Never felt like he didn’t know how they’d react with him. He’d never failed so hard at enticing a woman, not that he had had to try very hard since he was 15 or so. 

Nor had he had someone who tested him, forced him to think and keep up mentally. He had started coming up with one liners to throw back at her. Preparing for their inevitable face off once he could assure himself that stepping within kicking range wouldn’t result in his balls getting demolished again.

A cough snapped him out of his head.

“So, how are things?” Emerie sat across from him. Looking expectantly at him. 

“It’s going. We made a little headway, have some names- but it’s almost a mystery as to how everything connects, if they connect at all.” He wouldn’t divulge too much information, because even though he knew Emerie had Nesta’s best interest at heart-the less that knew about this the safer Nesta was.

“I will say, this has nothing to do with her sister and Rhys doing their digging. It’s personal.” It had to be. He spoke to Rhys and Az- neither of them were experiencing what he was with Nesta. Neither of them had seen stalkers, or had attacks, although Az found a few listening devices in Elain’s work- that was as far as anything got for them.

So, he made the decision that what was happening here was separate- not at all related to the other sisters. Which meant he had to start below ground zero. 

“It’s safe to say that Nesta isn’t helping anything. Being slightly more icy than usual- and sending men away with a glare and a raised eyebrow? You’ve had to change the guy who stays in her room every day.” Cassian smirked a little. Either she knew Nesta well, or Nesta had told her.

“It was both- she mentioned it and I can tell.” sighing and looking at the papers. “So- either tell me what little information Nesta divulged or tell me what’s on your mind that you were so zoned out you didn’t realize I was here staring at you for ten minutes. I might be more help in the former, but the latter is where my interests lie.”  

Cassian paused, weighing his options. Telling her that he wanted Nesta beyond what he thought was possible for wanting a woman, particularly her- was out of the question. Telling Emerie what happened a few nights ago, where he acted a damn fool was not an option. Asking for a semblance of help in the former option was really the only option he had.

“Alright, I’ll bite on the first option.” 

“Is it because you decided that the second choice wasn’t even an actual option for you?” The twinkle in her eye made Cassian think she knew more than she was letting on and was enjoying seeing him struggle.

“Anyway” promptly ignoring the questions that were rising about Nesta. “We have a name Tomas Mandray. I’ve looked up files. He is on every case that Nesta is, opposing her- but she always wins. I dug into his financials, he spends an exorbitant amount of money after every loss, probably drowning his sorrows. Reports are he’s a piece of shit and has a low regard or respect for women. Dating some leggy blonde.” Leveling his eyes at Emerie because by the look on her face- she knew something. Something very important.

“You know something. Something very very important. Something Nesta no doubt purposefully left out.” 

“Tomas is a terrible, evil, vile man.”

“Funny, Nesta used the exact same words. Now tell me why you know this. Or how.” There is information, important information and it was under his nose. He could feel it.

“Did she say anything else?’’ 

“Just that it’s personal.” 

“If that’s all she’s willing to tell you I am going to respect that.” Cassian opened his mouth to argue but promptly shut it when she raised a finger looking back down the hallway. “Come outside with me for a moment.”

He nodded, getting up, opening the french doors and lead Emerie to the small patio area. 

“There are so many things that I hate about Tomas Mandray. I don’t even know where I should begin. Did you know his family owns or is partners or something at one of the biggest firms in Prythian?” Cassian nodded, it was something that was in the file that Azriel sent him.

“He works for Hybern because he had to. His parents don’t want to hire him because not only is he a bad lawyer, but he has terrible ethics. He had to go in front of the ethics board 3 times since he’s graduated. He was waitlisted at Velaris U, Nesta got in on early decision, with a full scholarship to boot. He screamed in class when it was announced and a party thrown for her. They only do that for 1 person per accepting class.” Emerie laughed, but Cassian noted that there was a tiny bitterness to it. “Do you know her sister’s don’t know any of this? Sure I get why there’s bad blood- with her leaving, but she is so smart, she thought that this would help her sisters for the best. Help them set up her life.” Emerie leaned against the wood bannister, looking out into the backyard- looking like she was trying to decide on her words.

“What you need to do is look up Tomas during that time, back when he was a young college student. Find out all you can about him, particularly who he was and was not dating. And follow his trail through law school.” Cassian stood next to Emerie for a moment. Pondering her words when a realization hit him harder than a ton of bricks. 

“Who he was and was not dating?” 

“Figure it out Cass. That is my best friend. I won’t tell you about her past unless she tells you first. Then I can help you with some of your questions.” Turning to face him fully.

“So, are you going to tell me why you’ve effectively been avoiding her? Every time you see her, your eyes glaze over a bit, and then you suddenly get really angry and storm off.” Emerie paused, taking a long suffering sigh that told him she had an idea of what was going on without him needing to say anything. “I can only help you if you tell me.”

“What happens between Nesta and I stays between her and myself.” Because no way in hell would he even talk about how he was currently feeling like a coward, trying to avoid her. Nor would he say that he kept daydreaming about what had happened either, or where it could have ended.  

“So something happened.” 

“I am not talking about this.” He clenched his jaws together as tight as he could. He was being stubborn, but he didn’t care. He knew she could help him, but he didn’t need it. He didn’t want it. Nesta was his to figure out. 

“Fine. But you’re needed in her new office. Which, I have to say- its impressive, who knew you had so many books?” 

“Just because I’m handsome doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy books.” He walked, opening the door to go inside, letting Emerie chatter away.

“Just never took you as the type to read...urban romance.” Cassian stopped dead in his tracks. Turning to look at Emerie with wide eyes. No one knew he had read those books, just that he had them in the office- because he had helped the author with research into the Illyrian people for it. No one knew- except the author and and now Nesta.

“Don’t even bother. I heard the rant. Don’t let a swift kick keep you down.” There was playfulness in her tone, like watching him torment was her own personal enjoyment. Like she was enjoying every second of his torment. 

“Wait, this whole time you’ve been asking me what happened and you already knew?!” Emerie chuckled in response.

Stopping in front of the door but not opening it, Emerie spoke without turning toward him. “Nesta hasn’t had someone that pushed her boundaries like that. It’s not as bad as you think it was. She’s annoyed but I don’t think she’ll kill you. She just has a hard time processing everything emotionally so she just shuts down. She deserves someone that will make continue to try and get past that.” Emerie was suddenly blocking his way, her eyes spoke anger and protectiveness. “If you do not want her or a relationship for the long haul, back off now. Got it?” The unspoken violence in her words and eyes told him that she could and would make his life hell if he hurt Nesta, and she wouldn’t even need to physically touch him to do so.

“ My job first and foremost is to protect her. Keep her safe. I am her bodyguard.” That’s it. That’s all he would say or admit out loud to anyone. Ever. Even to himself.

“Do you let all of your jobs sleep in your house to…’keep them safe’? Do you give them space here, fix their apartment, follow their every move with puppy dog eyes? Do you drink with them and dance with them like saturday night?” 

“This is different. There was some extenuating circumstances.” Different in so many ways.  _ Shit, was Emerie right, so right. _ Dammit it. Hardening his face, he moved around her and marched into his big open office that was currently taken over by Nesta.

 

* * *

 

Standing near the fireplace after pouring himself a health glass of whiskey Cassian looked at the two women waiting for someone to talk. 

“Can someone please start this meeting.” He looked at Nesta, taking in her immaculate dark sleeveless dress, her thin but slightly toned arms, her long legs, perfectly braided hair, his eyes snagging on her neck. A swan’s neck, long and elegant, remembering what it felt like under his lips. Soft, a little cold like the woman it belonged to, but alive- he won’t soon forget the feeling of her heartbeat slowing picking up pace the more time his lips spent on it. And then she had on glasses, again. Cassian never thought he’d had a thing for smart women and glasses but the sight of Nesta in hers, well that was a completely different story. 

“RIGHT.” Emerie clapped her hands together, bringing both his attention and Nesta’s to her. Cassian dragged his attention away from ogling Nesta and gripped his glass tighter and leaning against the edge of the fireplace, hoping that it would help ground him. “The reason for this meeting is because the firm is having a very high profile, joint party Saturday night. Nesta can’t miss it.” Cassian’s eyes flew to her just as she opened her mouth, to argue most likely. “Do not even try it. Nesta you have to go. It’s for you for cauldron’s sake. You bought the dress AND got it tailored. So I know you were serious about going to it.” 

Emerie turned her attention to him. “The biggest, most important thing is that it will be held at Hybern’s mansion. I’ve already sent the scematics, and all the other dumb shit your people need, along with all the security that will be there. Your tech guy is rather friendly. Is he single? And he seems young is he young? Does he like a slightly older more experienced woman to show him the ropes of life?”

“Emerie. Focus.” Nesta spoke sharply. If looks could kill Emerie would be dead right now. But at present, she just rolled her eyes at Nesta, like this kind of interaction was an everyday occurrence.

“What? I just thought It’d be nice to have some eye candy that won’t be on  _ your  _ arm.” Smirking at her. Nesta narrowed her eyes and Cassian realized that he was being talked about like he wasn’t in the room. And was just referred to as eye candy.

“Let me understand this all. There is a work event that Nesta is required to go to. That is being held at the Hybern Mansion. And you somehow got all the building semantics, sent it to my team, who is most likely already building out a way in and out and are just now telling me this?”

“Yup. Catch on quick don’t you?” 

“I’m calling my team now. This needs further research and planning- since it is in two days time.” Grabbing his phone from his pocket he began punching in his teams group number. Stopping and turning to face the two women, he looked at Nesta up and down once more, trying to memorize every aspect of her, giving her the cockiest grin he could muster. “What color should I wear, sweetheart?” 

He went through the door just as a glass hit the wall where his head had been, with a string of colourful cursing following him.

 

* * *

 

Nests was fuming. She hated everything about her current situation. Hated how Cassian was only a few feet away, yet her body was specifically attuned to everything  _ him. _ The utter maleness of him. Particularly the way he had looked at her as he leaned against the corner of the fireplace, slowly looking at every inch of her. The way he eyed her made her feel like he was physically touching her. There was a carnal male possessiveness in the look, not the kind that she was accustomed to either. There wasn’t an ounce of disgust in it. It was like he was reliving that night and he wanted more of it- even if would cause his balls irreparable harm. 

The meeting ended as fast as it started. She refused to say a word, choosing to flip out on her friend in privacy rather than allow Cassian know that this would have any type of effect on her. At all. Because it didn’t, not at all. But that  _ stupid smug grin _ he sent her on his way out snapped whatever hold she had on her anger and was surprised at the general relief she felt at shattering the glass where his head had been.

As soon as the door closed behind Cassian, Nesta turned to Emerie ready to rip her to shreds.

“What do you think you’re doing?’’ The anger in her voice filled the room. Her anger practically radiated off of her. 

“Helping you. You just don’t see it yet. Did you see that way he was looking at you? Of course you did, who am I kidding!” Emerie was always the one that was able to deal with Nesta’s anger. They had dealt with their issues together. Emerie turning to laughter and companionship, Nesta choosing anger and studies. But their friendship worked. It was steady, one of the only reliable things she had besides her job in her life. 

Even her sisters had trouble being around her, not that she blamed them not really. Sometimes, she still had trouble not blaming herself.

“I have no idea why you keep bringing up that overgrown brute, like there is something going on. There is happening. At all. And if you think there is, it’s on his side. He as a fleeting interest, one that cannot be seen to fruition because I am his client.”

Emerie paused for a moment, looking a Nesta like she grew a second head, and then doubled over laughing. “Oh Nesta. My dear, dear colder than ice friend. You have so much to learn. He wants you for more than a one time thing. I’d bet my entire life savings, my job, and my apartment that he might know exactly what’s going on- but its for the long term and he just has no idea what to do.”

“No.” Nesta shook her head, refusing to believe that. “How can you even know that? That makes absolutely no sense at all. Where do you even get off? Making assumptions about him? Do you know I had to threaten legal action against this poor crazed girl who slept with him, assuming that she would be so amazing in bed that he would suddenly change his apparent ‘no relationship’ rule. Which, he does in fact have a ‘no relationship rule’ by the way.” Anger bubbled in Nesta’s stomach. Relationships, she’d never had one. Not a real one, with love and affection. Or mutual attraction. She had thought once that she had that, but was given a brutal awakening and she would never fall for that again.

“Oh my god you have GOT to be kidding me. I have watched you reject every single man that has ever had enough balls to tell you that you looked pretty. I watch that stupid red head Eris trip over himself to get you to look at him. For months. He’s still doing it if we’re being fair.” Emerie was walking around looking at all the books. The books that impressively went floor to ceiling covering every inch of all 4 walls. 

“I have never seen you look so at home and relaxed as you do in this office. It looks like he went into you head and pluck out your ideal office space. He’s breaking all his professional rules to keep you closer to him. I could go on and on about the small tiny details I know you’re purposefully skipping over.”

Nesta refused to respond. She wouldn’t entertain Emerie’s foolish assumptions. She was his job, keeping her safe was his current responsibility. “No. I am his job, to keep safe. I am the weird thing he can’t have at the moment. Once this is over he’ll return to his previous conquests of curvy blondes.” The last words had a taste of bitterness. Every tiny, perky blonde reminded her of the scene with Tomas and the woman in their bed. And his explanation was that he wanted warmth which she couldn’t be. 

“Oh please. Save me.” Emerie yelled, looking at the ceiling, arms up- like she was actually begging a higher being. “Nesta. You like him. I know you. This is the first man I have ever seen that get under your skin.” With a mischievous glint in her eye, “Can you please give me the whole story about why Cassian’s eyes glaze over like he’s remembering something every time he looks at you? Why he looks at you like you’re the only person in the room, and please don’t give me a vague response. You need help- your romance novels aren’t going to cut it.”

Nesta thought.  _ It’s just Emerie, really what can go wrong. And I do need help- this isn’t like what it felt like with Tomas. Not in the beginning. But, maybe if I speak in plain facts. Present the facts, explain the emotion, come to a verdict. At least once I gain a better understanding I can walk more purposefully. And the unsureness I feel whenever we are in a room together will go away. But where do I start?  _

“Give me a moment.” Nesta marched out of the room, looking for wine. That was the only way she would muster up enough courage. Walking into the kitchen she stopped, remembering that once again, she had no idea where to look.

 

* * *

 

Cassian quietly watched Nesta march into the kitchen, walking past him with a purpose he’d never witness on anyone before. 

Sitting at the island, he lowered his laptop to watch her before she would inevitably berate him for breathing the same air as her. 

As she moved around the kitchen, ignoring his existence, he had decided he couldn’t help but feel ...encaptured. She moved with methodical precision- opening bottles of wine to breathe, grabbing a plate, placing out cheese and crackers he wasn’t aware he had, grabbing wine glasses. Precise, but there was something so female in the way she moved. With a purpose but languid- like she was  _ almost _ relaxed here, but the way she held her shoulders let him know that she wasn’t completely at home, not yet. 

He had never had a female who wasn’t family move through his kitchen so knowingly. It wasn’t something he did on purpose, he just never kept a woman around long enough to her way around his personal space. But watching her move around his area like it was her own, pleased him on the most base male instinct he didn’t understand what it was that he was feeling.

And much faster than he would have liked, she marched out of the room, never paying him a single glance.

 

* * *

 

Nesta couldn’t sit. She just paced the entire length of the office in as controlled as she could keep her self.

_ That stupid stupid fucking bastard. That prick. That asshole.  _ She knew he was in the kitchen, watching her every movement but never saying anything. She could hear his calm and deep breathing that inadvertently helped her relax slightly.

“Nesta. Say something while you pace. What just happened that you left 10 minutes ago and came back- with no wine. Does he not have wine? We can go get some.”

“He is the most infuriating man-child I have ever met.” Nesta just needed Emerie to stop speaking. Jesus, she needed to stop thinking for a moment. The entire encounter in the cellar had thrown her for a loop. She was still not understanding what the reaction she had just experienced was. 

“Normally when a man gets too close, I get revolted.” Nesta spoke, softly but she knew Emerie heard her.

“And when Cassian gets close to you, are you revolted?” 

“No. Something happens, but it doesn’t make me want to throw up for being closer than a few feet from him.” Pausing her pacing and looking at her friend. “Although, with the way my stomach moved I do think I will vomit.”

A knock at the closed door made both women look. It opened and the middle aged housekeeper stepped in with the glasses and the wine, a kind smile on her face as she set up and poured their wine.

“I’ll be right back with some snacks. Mr. Cassian is almost finished with them.” She chuckled a bit and left the room.

Emerie moved to the glasses, grabbed both, bringing Nesta hers. “Drink, and spill.” 

Nesta took a long pull from the glass, practically emptying it and going to refill it. “He doesn’t make me want to vomit. Not from revulsion. More like, my stomach moved and I’m worried by the way it’s moving I will throw up. And sometimes it feels like light, like my stomach isn’t there.” Nesta took another massive gulp, she couldn’t help it. This conversation was driving her mad already.

Emerie chuckled but tried to cover it up. Nesta glared at her. 

“Uhm, have you never had butterflies? Like, when you were with... _ him _ \- did he ever make your stomach do nervous anticipation backflips?”

“Emerie what are you talking about?” 

“Wow. Uhm. Ok. Look- in order to help I need to get some basic answers out of the way first.” Nesta nodded at her, waiting for her to continue. Emerie took a deep breathe preparing herself. “When was the last time you had sex? I feel like I should know this after all these years but I can only think of that one time that we don’t talk about. And that my dear, sounded like the most boring vanilla man-serving sex if I ever did hear it.” Emerie looked at Nesta. She quirked an eyebrow, waiting for her friend to come to the answer on her own. 

Nesta pressed her lips tightly together.

“Shit Nesta. No. No way did that stupid, lowly, shit taking, loser, parents don’t even want him ruin sex for you!” The words came out of Emeries mouth in increasing volume, practically screaming.

“Keep your voice down.” Nesta grounded out. 

“Oh, Nesta. Has there never been anyone that made you want to have sex with them? No random man? Nothing.” Nesta decided that silence was the best way to answer these questions than saying no, she had not had one night stands. No she had not thought of anyone, not for years.

“My vibrator has multiple frequencies.” Pouring herself another hearty glass of wine, she looked over the rim of the glass at her friend.

 

‘“Vibrators are great, but they can only do so much. And they don’t compare to a man...or woman who enjoys making you come multiple times, in multiple ways, in one night.” Nesta blushed a little. She hadn’t necessarily thought that those things happened in real life, books had some found basis in life, but to hear that from Emerie confirmed that it was in fact true, and not mer fiction like she thought. 

“I am not naive.”

“No one is saying that you are. Look- you have blinders on when it comes to men. You never consider them. I have watched for the past 6 years as men tried to get your attention for more than business. And then watch them use business to lure you. None have been successful. Cassian made you throw a glass at his head after a single sentence.”

“You don’t live with him like I do. He is smug. Incorrigible. Egotistical. Probably some kind of maniac. He muscles his way through everything. Despite what you think of this house, he still acts like he is in the war. He lives like this house is a war barracks half the time.” Nesta had resumed her pacing now, feeling that moving while talking might help her. “He is always looking at me- like he’s trying to figure me out. He purposefully does or says things to get under my skin. He always tried to match me- quip for quips. He uses his handsome face and large masculine body with all his stupid muscles to get what he wants from his opponents. And when I talk, oh you should see him! He looks at me like I am the single most important thing in that moment and what I’m saying will bring about world peace! I mean have you ever heard or seen that from someone? It absurd, it’s infuriating. And then on Sunday I was stupid enough to loose control. I had a rough week, and he was just there. He was being all strong and comforting and telling me he’d protect me no matter what. I mean can you believe the nerve of him? And when he touched me, his body was so hot he could have burned me! He is so fucking inconsiderate!” Nesta’s face was flushed, her breathing hard, but she felt good. Free now that she got all of it out there, said in the open where no one else but Emerie would hear.

 Emerie, in turn, just stared at her with her mouth open. 

“If you continue to leave your mouth open you will begin to catch flies. Speak damn it.”

“I am just trying to find the right words to explain this to you.” Emerie walked over to the glass whiskey container, pouring two knuckles worth of whiskey in each glass and handed one to Nesta. “Take a shot. Now. Please.”

Nesta did as she was told for once, wincing and coughing slightly as the liquor burned her throat.

“Nesta, I just want you to think about what you said. I’m not going to tell you all of it because that is something you need to figure out on your own. But you feel something for him, he’s bringing out feelings in you. Like no one else ever did. I get that it’s overwhelming now- but this is good. Great even. You’re heart has been living in subzero weather now for years, without a jacket to keep it warm. He’s going to be your jacket.”

“He is not going to wear me.” Nesta was assaulted by the thought.

“Oh no, you would wear him, and he would enjoy it.” Emerie shook her head and chuckled. “Saturday is going to be so much fun.” 

And with that Emerie set down her glass, picked up her bag, waved at Cassian as she left through the front door, wondering how Saturday would play out, when the two had to act like a happy couple.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 17 pages later guys. This chapter is finally here.
> 
> Will we finally see Tomas and Cassian meet? How much will Cassian find out before than?
> 
> Please let me know what you think will happen next? What do you want to see?


	9. Chapter 9

Cassian sat down at the island in the kitchen with his whiskey going over every detail he could think of, even the ones so small that anyone in their right mind would have left alone. But he couldn’t, not when it was Hybern, not when he felt like he was going into the belly of the beast, and not when he was going to be bringing  _ her _ into it with him. And in 18 hours, he would have Nesta on his arm, practically presenting himself as her...her  _ whatever _ she would call him to every work associate she knew and probably hated.

But there was something missing and he knew it. A detail about the night that instinct told him was unsafe but he just couldn’t figure it out. 

_ Probably because I haven’t slept in 36 hours. _ He cursed himself again, for the hundredth time that day. After he accidentally saw Nesta in one of her flimsy nightdresses that hide equal parts of not enough and too much for his liking when he walked to his room after Emerie left yesterday, he refused to move until he was sure she was asleep. Because the dreams he’s been having both awake and asleep….she would kill him for it. 

_ So what? I’m a man, she’s attractive, why does she want to kill me everytime she catches me looking at her?  _ The image of her in a dark navy, lacy, practically sheer number ran through his head and went straight to his groin. Grunting he pulled out the manila envelope Azriel had dropped off about this Tomas Mandray man. There was a story there and he would figure out how he tied into it. He opened the massively thick envelope and got to work. 

After two hours and halfway through the papers, Cassian was able to conclude that this man would hate Nesta for the single fact that she never lost a case to him. Not just that, but she won and then would demand the sun and the moon for her clients. It was almost like she enjoyed rubbing it in his face that he couldn’t beat her. But he still hadn’t gotten to the college days, which Emerie had specified to him to dig into. 

Going through the files, past the hiring paperwork, past his law school grades and went to find early college life. Pictures of Tomas leaning against a nice Mercedes Benz that his parents had clearly paid for. Candid pictures at a frat party from what looked to be his freshman year talking to… his jaw dropped. That was  _ Nesta _ appearing to what he thought was 18 years old, in all black, with a scowl on her face.  _ And she only just perfected it,  _ smiling inwardly at the thought.

Realizing, however, that now this was getting somewhere. Flipping through a few more papers, he saw a list of classes, one list had Nesta’s and the other Tomas’s noting that they had almost identical schedules. Flipping, he saw that another picture of them at what was most likely a fraternity formal, and then another one with them and a group of friends, holding hands. There were more and more pictures like this, of Tomas and Nesta together, looking like they were in a relationship but Cassian noted that Nesta did not smile in a single one. He couldn’t place why this made he frustrated or angry but he knew that it just did. Refusing to dwell on it, he flipped to a police report.

One that indicated he beat a woman, terribly, hospitalizing her. He briefly read through the injuries, unable to focus on it wholly because he knew he would just get angry. Well, angrier than he already was. There was blacked out lines throughout the report, but Cassian was able to easily understand what had transpired and the woman was referred to as Jane Doe, as she wanted to keep her name out of it entirely. But when Cassian got to the pictures, his blood went cold. He knew he would never be able to  _ unsee _ the injuries, just like he would never not know the neck that had a bruised hand print on it. Or the arm that was almost entirely bruised, or the legs that had swollen knobs on both shins. He knew it was Nesta, before he got to the part where he saw the injuries to her face, even though they were strategically taken so you never saw more than the section that was injured and would never know who the woman was it you didn’t already memorize specific parts of her body. 

Knowing that Tomas had done this to her, and now years later was somehow involved in tormenting her further, he quite literally could not wait to get his hands on him. 

Closing his eyes and taking a deep breathe he forced himself to move on from the pictures, to a lawsuit along with an NDA. Whoever had found this had written down, in bullet points, exactly what it entailed. Going over it, he saw how Nesta agreed to never go speak on this to any living soul for the next 15 years, that she got millions of dollars from Tomas’s family and that she had them agree to never allow Tomas to work for his family’s firm or any other subsidiary for 45 years. Cassian saw now why Tomas was going after her. 

Pride swelled in a deep part of his heart, to read this. He could picture her, sitting in front of a line of lawyers making her demands, making sure that Tomas’s life would be difficult, making demand after demand. And thinking about how she used this. She bought a home for her sisters, she did everything she could for Freye and Elain, making sure that they never had to worry about money ever again. 

It burned him  to know that her sisters would never know what she had to go through, what she had to deal with alone, to give them that kind of security. That maybe Feyre hadn't told everyone the whole truth, because just never knew.

Putting down the papers he ran the heel of his hands into his eyes. He needed to get to bed, so he could be bright eyed for tomorrow. He felt like the weight of the world was on his shoulders. If before he was determined to giving Nesta everything she needed to feel safe, cared for and protected, he was now going at it with the same legendary single-minded focus that helped him build his almost billion company to the best in the country in less than 6 years.

Walking up the stairs he heard a little noise come from Nesta’s room. He walked as quietly as he could to the door, putting his ear to the door, only to have it be accidentally pushed ever so slightly open allowing him to peer inside.

And every thought he had went out of his head, blood started pounding in his ears while it rushed to his groin. Nesta looked like a moon goddess, asleep, with her hair splayed out on the pillow. He took a few seconds to memorize the way it looked, how the moonlight fell on her face and accentuated her high cheekbones. She looked so at peace, so safe, so at odds to her usual scowl, that Cassian felt a chunk of his heart rip off.

 

* * *

 

Nesta looked at herself in the mirror. She liked her dress. It was elegant. She liked the way the thin soft silky fabric felt against her skin, the burnt deep red color that had a shift of black in it set off her skin tone, the way the neckline accentuated her upper body, the slit up her thigh that gave just enough view of her long legs. But turning around, she couldn’t help but admire the back the most. The open back fell all the way to the tip of her butt, just high enough to ensure that no small move would reveal more than she wanted but low enough that she was almost excited for the scandal that her dress might bring. She was  _ honored guest _ after all. 

With her hair out of her typical braids and flowing curls down her back to offer some level of mystery she took one more minute to admire herself. The dress made her feel powerful, which made her feel beautiful, and that was what really mattered. She silently thanked Emerie for pushing her to try it on months ago.

“Nesta, you ready?” Emerie called from the doorway.

Nesta walked out of the bathroom to meet Emerie in the doorway of her room.

“Holy shit. You are going to give those 90 year old partners a fucking coronary.” Emerie squealed in delight. “I love it when you listen to me. You should do it more often.” 

Rolling her eyes she forced Emerie to move from the doorway so that they could leave for the gala.

“I particularly can’t wait to see a tall, dark and handsome Illyrians’ eyes pop out of his head. Or maybe he’ll just pass out when he sees you. Would you like to place a bet?” _.  _ Nesta couldn’t stop herself from rolling her eyes as a little bit of anticipation seeped into her bones at just how Cassian might react. __

Pulling herself together, she reached for the mask that she so carefully donned when having to participate with misogynistic men of her industry. 

 

* * *

 

Cassian felt like her was struggling to breath the entire day. Emerie had mentioned to him this morning that he better prepare himself for tonight, all with a knowing look on her face. Because of that little remark, he spent the day trying to mentally prepare himself, and failing every time because he couldn’t get his mind off of what he had witnessed last night. Both seemed to be tasks that were far beyond his mentally able to comprehend, it would seem.

And when he saw Nesta, he almost burst out of his skin because she already had her jacket on where he could only see that not only was she wearing his favorite color, but that there was a leg slit, giving him an ideal view of her lean runner legs as she walked past him like he didn’t exist.

He followed, getting into the front seat of the SUV, allowing Emerie, Nesta and Aidan in the back. He needed room to refocus, he had a job to do, and knew that there was a man he could not wait to meet.

_Tomas Mandray had no idea the storm he had just started_ , Cassian promised silently.

 

* * *

 

Nesta glided to the coat check, promptly ignoring everyone around her. She hated these events. She hated having to talk to people who had their heads so far up their own asses they lost sight of reality. Hated that she was forced to speak to people she had no desire to even be in the same room. The amount of fake and vile men she had to encounter, who would make a lewd joke that she would have to shut down, who now had to hand her an award for being the best there was, made her want to be violent. Everything about it pushed her anxiety to its breaking point.

A choking sound behind her broke her out of her mental tirade. Turning slightly behind her, she saw Cassian staring at her, mouth slightly open looking equals parts shocked and  _ excited _ . Nesta watched as his eyes went from the bottom, and took their time making their way up her body, finally meeting her eyes, she saw him swallow and  _ swagger _ to her.

_ Yes, definitely worth it.  _ She couldn’t feeling gracious to Emerie for the push she needed to get the dress. She also couldn't help when she narrowed her eyes at him either, it was instinctual. 

Moving so that he was in front of her, crowding her personal space slightly, he leaned down as a hand moved up her arm, tantalizingly slow. The movements made Nesta close her eyes for a moment, just to feel the sensation, feeling safe knowing no one would see her side of the interaction with his large body blocking everyone’s view.

He leaned down and whispered, “You look breathtaking Nes.” Grabbing her hand and putting it in the crook of his arm, and helped her move towards the entrance of the ballroom.

Every step closer to the ballroom, Nesta’s started breathing faster and moving slower. Blackness started to cloud her eyes at the edges, making her start to panic and her head felt like it was floating away from her body.

A very big, very strong hand reached around her, holding her up and forcing her to move somewhere.

“Come.” Nesta was too worried about breathing and not passing out to remark how Cassian should mind how he speaks to her, that she doesn’t take orders. Instead she just held on for dear life while the blackness started taking over her sight. 

“Sweetheart, you’re going to be ok. No one is here but me. Close your eyes.” Following Cassian’s directions, allowing herself to not fight him in this one moment, she closed her eyes, feeling him putting his hand to his chest. 

“Breath. Slow calming breaths.” Nesta listened to the calm male voice and took a few slow, controlled breath, finding that breathing this way did in fact start to ebb away the consuming panic she that had threatened devour her moments ago. 

“There, keep doing that. Everything is fine. Come back to me.” And she felt herself do just that. Nesta felt herself coming back because he was there to assist her. Slowly, listening to Cassian speak softly in her ear, she came back into herself. Emotions barreled through her in fast progression. Anger, happiness, gratefulness, frustration, relief. And something else that made her want to bring Cassian closer to her, have him hold her.

It was all too much.  _ Too much, too fast. _

The sudden need to get Cassian away for a moment, to have space, she pushed hard against his chest. She felt, rather than saw his body move away, giving her space and taking away the intense heat he brought along with him. 

Reaching down, into the depths of herself, she found the cold mask she needed and brought it forward. Bottling all the emotions she was feeling in a lock box in herself, felt ready to take on the man before her. 

Looking into his eyes, she saw hope, nervousness, and beyond all else, patience in his eyes. Eyes that practically begged her to let him have this moment to take care of her. 

_ I never needed anyone before, and I sure as hell don’t need anyone now.  _ The bitter thought flitted through her mind, making her suddenly, irrationally angry.

“Are you okay?” Cassian’s voice held pain. Silently cursing herself, knowing that he was feeling negative feelings because of her grated on her heart exponentially. 

“Where are we? How did you even know this was here?” Ignoring his question Nesta looked around taking in the tiny, dark, silent corridor that she was sure no one else would have known was there. Nor would anyone be stumbling into it.

Seeing that he was not going to press more questions she thanked whatever gods listened. 

“I memorized the building layout.” Scanning her up and down, like he was checking that there were also no physical injuries before looking at her face once again. “No one saw us come in here. I know what I’m doing.” 

She almost forgot about that. The oncoming panic attack made her forget that there might be people talking about her, and what they would assume to be a breakdown. Think that she was weak.

_ Not weak then. Not weak now.  _ She took the thought and pounded it into her heart. She would not be weak, never again.

Sighing and taking her hand, Cassian guided her through the hallway, opening a door that brought them to the back of the ballroom, where no one was yet. 

“I’ll go get us a drink. Red, right?” Nesta gave a curt nod and Cassian went to the bar while she started making her rounds.

 

* * *

 

Cas patiently waited while the bartender poured his drinks, tapping his fingers against his thigh, trying to focus on taking care of Nesta for the rest of the night.  


“Hi Cassian.” A flirty, throaty, familiar voice came up behind him. 

Sighing he turned around with the drinks he had just taken off the bar to face the woman he hoped he wouldn’t have to see, here or ever again. 

“Meena.” Cassian nodded, and tried to move past her. Of course she would be here, on the arm of some rich lawyer type, and would bother him.

“Meena. Just Meena? No hi, how are you? How have you been? You look beautiful.” She spoke with a slight teasing tone, but Cassian heard the indignation in her voice. 

“Yes. Meena. Just Meena. The same way I have been addressing you for years.” Taking a good look at her, he really wondered what his younger self was thinking when he went into the bedroom with this woman. Sure, she was tall, and leggy and her strawberry blonde hair was cut to perfection. But she was so beyond vain that it made him throw up in his mouth a little when he thought about how willingly he went into her bed all those years ago.

A mistake if he ever made one.

“You look amazing.” He couldn’t help but be childish in the way he rolled his eyes at her.  _Why wouldn't she leave me alone?_ He knew why she wouldn't give up and damn him and his adolescent self for thinking it would be ok to bed a woman like  _this._

“Is that for me?” The cold detached voice came from beside him and he had never been so thankful for Nesta in his entire life. 

“Yes, Nesta. Red, just above room temp, like you like it.” He turned slightly to give her the glass and give her a look of eternal thanks, one which she seemingly didn’t see as her attention was focused on Meena.

_ Yes, please Nes,SAVE ME! _  He cried to Nesta internally. 

“Who are you?” With a quirk of an eyebrow, Cassian internally jumped for joy.  He finally might be able to get Meena away from him forever, thanks to Nesta and her look of death.

“Meena de Montef. You're Nesta right? I’m honored to meet you.” Holding her hand out, Cassian watched as Nesta stared at the hand then to Meena, and sipped her wine. Meena held her hand out a moment longer before she realized Nesta was never going to shake it. 

“You know who I am. Cassian just addressed me in front of you. My picture is framed in a number of places in this room. Do not play at being dense with me.” Cassian shifted closer to Nesta. Was it his fault he was excited to watch Nesta in action again? Could he really be blamed that it thrilled him that she came to help him, just as he would come to help her- even though neither one would admit they needed help. 

“Sweetheart, it’s your night.” He took a chance and ran the tips of his fingers up her spine with feather light touches. When she shivered, so slight he almost missed it, his body went on high alert.  _ She liked that. _ He’d know a shiver of pleasure if it saw it. “Let’s not take anyone to task. She clearly came as a plus one.” He inched closer, murmuring the words just loud enough for Meena to hear. 

“Wait. Stop. Hold on. Are you two together?” Cassian didn’t bother looking at Meena. He was too wholly consumed with Nesta and how she would react to the question. At how she just shivered when he touched her. He silently tried to beg her to give him something to go with, that he wasn’t an absolute crapshot and that she felt at least the tiniest bit of something for him. That he did not just imagine anything.  

“Why is it any of your business?” The anger in her tone was palpable. 

_ Fuck, I totally just screwed up again. But, really it wasn’t my fault. How should I know batty Mcbatterson would be here.  _ He cringed inwardly at his ignorance.

“Last time I checked, he wasn’t the ‘settling down’ type. More of a one night, or multiple night or occasional tumble kind. Never the boyfriend, despite knowing many a woman have tried.” Meena shrugged, trying and failing to show that the thought of him settling down with someone who wasn’t her didn’t grate on her.

_ Holy fucking Cauldron. I slept with her like 5 times, all when I had way too much to drink and was clearly not thinking. I was taken advantage of damn it!  _ _ I was too young to know better!  _ He thought, while he just sighed audibly. This was getting pathetic and he knew he needed to get himself and Nesta out of this conversation before Meena brought on some crazy display of scorned lover. 

“Meena. I wish I could say it was a pleasure, but you know it wasn’t. Please refrain from speaking to myself or Nesta for the rest of the night. I know you’re a little put out that she won’t get to see your scorned lover act, but I’m sure she can find it on youtube somewhere.” With that he put his hand on Nesta’s lower back and did his best to put as much distance from Ianthe's best friend as he possibly could.

 

* * *

Nesta’s mind was fuzzy. Not in the ‘had too much to drink’  fuzzy, but the kind that happens when you have to keep moving and never have a moment to breathe. She just wanted people to stop crowding her, congratulating her like 99% of them didn’t vote against her, belittle her for years. 

It disgusted her. The only reprieve she had was that the entire time, Cassian was glued to her side, giving her small tiny touches letting her know he was there. Not once did he scuff when he wasn't introduced, and when he was he kept every question on something about her and her work. She almost chuckled when he practically forced a partner from one of the rival firms to admit that he couldn't have done what she did one a particular case. 

But being forced to move about a room where people pretended to like her? It made her want to run screaming from the room.

Was she happy to get some acknowledgement? Yes, she worked hard, harder than most of the men at the firm. Did she think she deserved it? Yes, after being passed over for inter of the year, associate of the year, and a slew of other accolades that were hers by blood, sweat and late nights. But did it have to be so public? 

“There you are, Ms. Archeron. You look wonderful.” An old familiar voice addressed her from behind. Nesta allowed the tiniest hint of a smile to adorn her face as she turned around. 

_ Finally someone I can stand to talk to. _

Dooney, the man who first brought her into the company and also the longest tenured partner at the firm was behind her, looking happier than she’s ever seen. 

“Are you excited, my dear? Fine time that a woman finally be acknowledged in this damned  country. I can’t think of anyone more deserving.” Dooney squeezed her arm, practically jumping up and down. “I know you tend to be more of a recluse of sorts, but would you mind if I introduced you to my two granddaughters? They truly look up to you, and well, freaked out when they figured  out that I mentored you in a way.”

“Yes, of course Dooney.” There was always something she liked about Dooney, though she could never put her finger on it. He was like a grandfather who she never had, had helped her through one of the darkest parts of her life.

“Ah, here we are. This is Aliza, and this is Yennifer.” The two young women stood tall, and had similar features to their grandfather. 

“May I just say, your humanitarian work with the Illyrian women is astounding. Are you leading the bill that is bringing women’s rights to the forefront?” The young woman,  _ Aliza _ , Nesta thought to herself, spoke faster possibly than anyone she’d ever met. It took her a moment to process exactly what she said before she responded.

“In a way yes. The cases that I am currently trying are helping set the precedence, proving that there needs to be specific laws in place to protect a woman’s inalienable rights.” Nesta bristled slightly. The more she spoke, the more the two girls seemed to want to fall at her feet. The looks there were giving her were making her uncomfortable. A hand ran up and down her back in tiny motions that brought her out of her head for a moment. Looking back slightly, she saw that although Cassain had no uttered a word or been addressed he stayed next to her. For some reason seeing him still there surprised her, even more so when the look of pride flashed in his eyes.

“Oh, Nesta, who is the young man.” 

Nesta watched silently as Cassian reached out and shook Dooney’s hand. “Cassian sir. I actually finance the shelter that Nesta does her pro bono work out of.” Nesta watched Dooney’s eyes light up in delight. 

“Ah yes! I had inquired about the owners of the shelter some time ago and never received an answer! Girls why don’t you go talk Nesta’s ear off please. I have some business I would like to speak with Cassian on.” 

Nesta moved away, listening and answering the girls every question, thanking the Cauldron that no one else bothered her or required her to make small talk. 

Only when the music stopped and the announcement that the awards were about to progress, did Nesta murmur a good-bye to the kind girls and move to the stage for her award.

 

* * *

 

Cassian watched with equal parts pride and astonishment as Nesta stood up on the podium and accepted her award. Seeing her accomplishments being listed, finding out just how the cases she won was progressing the world forward excited him. 

He couldn’t help but peak around to the crowd to see some of their reactions. As he softly perused the crowd, his eyes landed on a familiar male figure in the corner. 

_Tomas._ _So that’s what a sniveling asshole looks like_. 

“He is the worst kind of creature to ever walk the planet.” Dooney whispered to him. 

“I know.” 

“What has she told you? About him, I mean?” Cassian realized that Dooney knew more about Nesta, much more. 

“Nothing. I did some digging, not on her necessarily but on people from her past who may want to hurt her. I figured some things out on my own.” Turning his head to give the most lethal glare he could make. “She has no idea that I know. When she’s ready, she’ll tell me.”

“I was the lawyer. She did almost the entire fiasco on her own, but she came to me to make sure the legal words were correct. I was the one who suggested that she add that he never be allowed to work for any of his parent’s companies.” A small smile played on the old man’s face. “I’m an excellent criminal attorney as well. I know almost every judge in the circuit intimately. Should you ever need an attorney such as myself, please reach out.” 

_ So the old man wants him dead too? Who would have thought. _

“Thank you. I’m not sure it will come to that, but it is something to keep in mind, should I need a back up.”  

He turned and looked over at where Tomas was again. He watched as Tomas wove closer to the stage, watching Nesta with equal parts hate and revere in his eyes. 

Then Tomas turned, looking at Cassian and started moving to him. 

 

* * *

 

Nesta was calm on stage. Thankful that she was not required to give a stupid speech about her hard work, thanking people and the like. The cases that were being highlighted were ones no one wanted, no one but her believed in. No one helped her. And each case she won, against all odds, and she knew she was making waves.

She looked out into the crowd, spying Cassian talking to Dooney, each man had hard faces on. She watched as Cassian turned his head. Looking to what was bringing his attention, all the hair on her arms raised in fear. 

_ Tomas. _

Nesta took a deep breath, knowing that in a room full of lawyers, he couldn’t ...wouldn’t be able to pull any of his typical lack luster tricks. 

_ I’m stronger than this. Stronger than he could ever comprehend. There is a reason why I am standing here and he has to work for a slimeball like Hybern.  _

The words brought the desired effect, but her anxiety picked back up when she saw Tomas turn and move toward Cassian. 

_ There is no way that this could end well. _

She got off stage not a moment to soon, barrelling to Cassian seeing the promise of a slow death written on his face. Moving so that she stopped directly in front of him forcing him to take a step backwards, “I think we should leave now.” Nesta waited for a reply, watching as Cassian clenched and unclenched his jaw looking at her. 

Until he wasn’t. A growl erupted from the back of his throat as he looked over her head. A growl that Nesta felt through her body, scaring and exciting parts of her she thought were dead years ago.

Then she felt someone behind her. A disgustingly familiar someone.

Too close behind her, forcing her to stiffen. 

“Nesta Archeron, as I live and breathe.” 

Nesta willed herself not to run away as far and as fast as she could. Turning away from Cassian she looked at the man who still haunted her nightmares.

“Tomas.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHHHH! Finally we are going to get a meeting between the 3 in the next chapter. The plot will finally start to fall into place! 
> 
> I hope you like this one. I felt like this might be my weakest chapter to date. 
> 
> What do you think Tomas actually wants with Nesta?


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This isn't the best chapter, but I kind of re-wrote it 4 times so this is what ya'll get! I know I haven't updated in 2 months and I am so sorry. Thanks for sticking around thus far. It gets better I swear!

Nesta stared at the man who caused her nightmare after nightmare for years. He stared back, a dark merciless gaze that caused her stomach to roll, made her want to run away as fast as possible.

_ No _ , Nesta felt her heart harden as she stared down Tomas,  _ he will never be able to get to me again _ . 

Instead of deigning him a verbal reply, which she knew he expected, she raised a single eyebrow in bare acknowledgement, knowing exactly how angry it would make him. 

Watching as Tomas feathered his jaw, hand tightening on the glass as he struggled not to react, Nesta couldn’t help but be pleased with his reaction.

Holding herself with a little more smug confidence with Tomas as easily as atagonizable as he at 21. 

“So tell me, what did you give the men on the board to get this award?” 

 Rolled her eyes Nesta knew it was a childish action but she couldn't help it. With Tomas, the conversation was always the same line of questioning even when they were together. Every time something, anything happened positively for her, Tomas tried to find a way to diminish her work. Never allowing her have a positive moment in the hard work, while he skated by on his name and background alone, she always wondered who his parents paid off to get him off the waiting list.

“You need to get a new line of questioning. You’ve been saying this same line in its various forms since undergrad. It’s actually a wonder than you don’t lose ever case with the fact that handle all your questioning in the same manner.” 

Tomas’s gaze became exponentially darker. Nesta knew the words hit home, too close to home. It was a constant topic back in law school, that he wasn’t creative enough, didn’t really listen to the answers to come up with a good follow up questions. She knew that this was an area he never worked on, a conversation he had with those up higher on his team, and why he was no longer able to be the lead on any case that she was on. 

“Here alone? No one wanted to sacrifice a night with the resident frigid bitch of Prythian for a night?” Tomas chuckled at his attempt at a joke, making Nesta inwardly groan. Not for the first time she truly wondered what she ever saw in him that caused her to be so devoted to him years ago. 

“Some men enjoy the cold.” A deep base of a voice, one that has become familiar and reassuring in a way that was beginning to make her feel  _ unbalanced. _ One she almost completely forgotten, even though he was the reason she had inserted herself in Tomas’s pathway. 

Cassian pressed up behind her, back to chest. He felt warm, like coming home after a cold day and the fireplace was already lit. She tried to not think about that image in her head or how she leaned back ever so slightly to steal some of his warmth that his body seemed to radiate no matter the day. 

“Ah, I see Nesta had to resort to paying a man to spend time with her.” Nesta went to respond but stopped when she realized that it wasn’t her that was being addressed.

 

* * *

 

Cassian had to remind himself that he had to be a civilized man and not beat Tomas to a bloody pulp.

_ Nesta will kill you if you don’t calm down _ .  _ This is her night.  _ He had to remind himself as he looked down at the sad excuse for a man.

Bringing his arm around Nesta to give her the new, cold glass of champagne he grabbed from a passing tray, prayed that she would play along  with him. He placed his hand on her waist, thumb sliding between the edge of cloth and her skin so he could stroke slow circles on her. 

“If you think she needs to pay for a man’s attention you clearly don’t know anything about her.” He practically growled the words. “Cassian, CEO and Founder of Windhaven Securities.” 

“Oh, I knew I recognized you, Rhysand Starr’s adoptive brother. Did Nesta’s sister pay you to accompany our dear Nesta?” Tomas stood a little taller, like he was suddenly seeing Cassian with new eyes, eyes that said he realized that Cassian might actually be competition that needed to be squashed as fast as possible.

“Yes, that would be me. You seem to know a lot about Nesta’s sister.” Nesta bristled under his hand ever so slightly. “And to be clear, she’s mine.” Not the truth, not yet, but he  _ was _ working on it. Cassian watched as Tomas looked from him to Nesta to where his proprietary hold on her was. Was it possessive and slightly out of character for him? Yes, but with Nesta he had decidedly thrown out his personal rule book when he laid eyes on her.

“I see.” Cassian was the picture of calm as Tomas refocused his gaze on Nesta once more. “Nessie, I didn’t know you had a thing for neanderthals. But then, those might be the only kind of men willing you put up with your frigid bitch routine.” 

Cassian felt the blood pounding in his ears. He didn’t stand 

“Cold I might be to you. But then again, you never were a strong man, physically or mentally. Didn’t you get thrown out of the courtroom two weeks ago after you lost another case to me?” Cassian could hear the smugness in her voice, but he could feel the tension radiating off of her body. It sent off red alerts in his mind.

Smirking in the way that he knew made Nesta’s blood boil, he looked at Tomas with as much menace as he could in his eyes, daring him to try and blink the wrong way. “Look Tony, it’s clear that you have the social skills of a wet cat. Especially since you couldn’t  _ handle  _ a woman like Nesta, but your loss is most certainly my gain. This conversation is pointless and has gone on long enough. Go found the poor soul you dragged here and leave us. We have a more private celebration to have.”  _ There, a nice clean verbally demeaning get away. Nesta could hardly do better than that. _

Cassian splayed his hand on Nesta’s rib cage, ignoring how perfectly his hand fit on the dips of her hips to guide her away when Tomas stepped dangerously close. 

“Drop the bill. Leave the Illyrians alone. If you continue down this path, I promise it will get increasingly more dangerous for you.” His voice was angry, but quiet. So only Nesta could hear, and Cassian for how close he was to her.

Responding barely a second before Nesta had a chance to, “Careful there, Tommy. That sounded eerily close to a threat.” Pulling Nesta tighter to him, he willed himself to breathe and not take action yet.

“Not a threat. More of a promise.” Tomas shrugged slightly before looking at Nesta, a storm of anger on his face. “Cease the bill and you might yet survive, my dear Nesta.”

“No.” Nesta took a small step forward and Cassian felt the unshed anger she was about unload on him, in front of too many important people, so he did the only thing he could think of that might shock her silent for at least a second but that no one would question.

He leaned down and kissed her slightly open mouthed on her neck, pressing his teeth lightly into the soft skin. Pulling back he met her eyes and he couldn’t control the small uptick of his lips at the anger and slight shock in her eyes. 

“Let’s continue this celebration home sweetheart.” He said just above a whisper, so Tomas would hear. 

Instead of responding, Nesta walked toward the exit, leaving both him and Tomas in her dust. 

“She was always a bitch.” Tomas said the words aloud, but didn’t seem to direct them to anyone in particular.

“She isn’t a bitch. And you’d know that if you weren’t an impudent shit. It isn’t her fault that you are one weak man.” Cassian took a deep breath before he spoke again. “If you come near her, I end you. If you try to hurt her in any way shape or form, I end you. If you help someone else to hurt her, I end you.” Cassian realized that death must be in his eyes, because Tomas truly looked frightened. “That is how you threaten someone.” 

And he walked away to find Nesta, fighting the urge to beat Tomas right there.

 

* * *

 

 

Nesta’s head was pounding. So many thoughts were flowing through her head she couldn’t grab on to a solid one. The emotions were storming through her at lightning speed and she needed to stuff them down into the little box she built in her heart for moments like this.

_ Calm down. He does not get power over you. You are stronger. You are smarter. You deserve more than he could ever give.  _

A warm, slightly calloused hand brushed over her shoulders creating goosebumps on her. Taking a deep breath to steel herself and shutting down any emotion on her face, she turned to face Cassian.

Who saw too much, too fast. 

Who figured out her most shameful secret.

Who she now needed to guard herself from more strongly than any other person.

Scowling at him, she refused to allow herself to speak. She knew that in this moment, if she spoke, she might expose herself. She knew he was just waiting to pounce on that vulnerability like a wolf to his prey.

“Good. Showing no emotion works for the moment. But on a show and now you need to walk into that room like the empress you are. You have 15 more seconds before I bring you back in there on my arm.” 

_ He’s giving me a pep talk.  _ The realization hit her as he spoke.  _ Why would he think that I need that? _

“Time’s up sweetheart.” Cassian took her hand and placed it into the crook of his arm and gently pulled her with him as he moved, never once breaking eye contact with her. 

Refusing to back down, she stared back. The last thing she would do would be to back down to Cassian. 

When they finally reached the room, he looked away scanning for something.

“We should dance.” And with that statement he pulled her into the fray of couples waltzing around the center of the room.

Placing one hand one his shoulder, Cassian took her free hand into his, pulling her into his body and began swaying.

“When I asked if you knew why anyone would want to harm you, I expected you to tell me the truth, up front. Not let me find out through the man who can’t decide if he wants you or wants to inflict unimaginable pain on you.” The anger in his voice caused her to finally look up at him.

The fire in his eyes told her that he was very, very angry with her.

“Who do you think you are, that you can make such demands of me?” She was barely keeping her emotions contained, she did not need a verbal reprimand from  _ him _ of all people.

“The man who promised to keep you safe. The one who needs to know what to expect and who might want to hurt you so he can make plans to keep you safe. The man who will have to answer to two women who might turn violent on me if I let anything happen to you.” He was bent over with his mouth near her ear, voice at whisper level, but it was for show. The rage in his voice was unmistakable.

But regardless of all of the things he said, her mind could only focus on one part. 

_ He’s only doing this to protect Feyre and Elain. He needs to be close to me because they asked and no one in all of Prythian has enough willpower to hold those two off.  _ It broke the small tiny shard that developed after her conversation with Emerie at the small realization. 

Frustrated with herself and the way she allowed her thoughts to escape into a fantasy that had formed in her mind when she wasn’t looking she squeezed her hand that rested on his body.

“It was not relevant. It is very sensitive, only 3 people in the government even know about it besides myself. It isn’t even going to vote on the floor. It is skating all jurisdiction and to be signed once I bring out enough cases.” 

That was the part that shocked her the most out of everything Tomas said. Somehow, he knew about something she kept so close to her that no one in the firm even had an inkling. They just thought that the women in the senate wanted her company out of solidarity.

“You kept it from me. There was no information on any of the files.” He pulled her closer to him as he spoke, tucking her into his body like he was a living shield for her.

“That’s how it should be. Every bit of information, writing, is sent through an encrypted line, using a computer that only has that information. It is jarring that he knew that there was a bill to begin with.” Jarring wasn’t even the right word for what it truly made her feel, but she thought the description was abt enough for Cassian.

 

* * *

 

Cassian listened intently as Nesta spoke. There was ice in her voice, but something was different. At one point he might have broken through a bit of the wall that Nesta placed between her and everyone she met. Like he had found the weak point in her defense and there was a chance to get to know the real woman behind the wall. But the way she spoke to him now, with so much detachment and threads of resentment in her voice he knew he must have been confusing her with how he expected a regular woman to act. 

And it had nothing to do with who had confronted her before. He could practically feel her laying the bricks down while they danced. It felt wrong. He was missing something and he knew it.

“Having fun, children?” A familiar feminine voice spoke up next to him.

“Mor, who did you bribe to get in here?” It was a joke, but he didn’t miss the slight pause of movement in Nesta, nor how her spine went ramrod straight. 

“Never you mind. Just know I’m here for back up.” Side-eyeing Nesta she added “Don’t worry, I have anti-venom for you when she decides she’s had enough and takes a bite.” Mor danced with whatever partner she had found away from him before he could level out a retort.

Cassian turned his attention back to the woman in his arms. He saw the small tick going in her jaw, where she was clenching and unclenching it. He knew better than to get between whatever issue Mor had with Nesta at the moment and focused on the woman in his arms. 

Really, he couldn’t deny how she was a faultless fit in his arms, in a way he had never found with any other woman that he danced with in the past.

Picking his head up to scan the area, since he technically was still on the job, he saw Emerie looking at him with a small smirk. A quick movement of her head toward the door told him what he needed to know.

“Looks like we better get out of here, sweetheart.” He pulled away from Nesta, but never breaking contact with her. Moving her hand to the crook in his elbow, he lead her out of the ballroom and to their townhouse.

_ His _ townhouse. He silently corrected himself. 

**Author's Note:**

> Please like/comment/ give me critiques on what you think might happen!
> 
> I identify with Nesta and her plight so much!


End file.
